Why Weight Training Leads To Fat Burning

Integrating weight training into your regular exercise program can and does assist in fat burning and weight reduction for two significant reasons. The first reason being the muscle fiber type or types that are employed and the second reason is an explicit increase in metabolic rate.

Weight training, or as some refer to as strength or resistance training, should be consistently performed at a minimum of 3 times per week.

Although a skilled-personal trainer can prescribe a condition-appropriate program for you, as a rule of thumb it is recommended that a minimum of one set per exercise for each major muscle group be performed. Even more effective is the performance of several peak-intensive compound (multi-muscle) exercises. The major muscle groups are the chest,quadriceps, abdominals, hamstrings, low-back, upper back, biceps, triceps, neck and shoulders.

Each exercise should consist of about 8-20 repetitions, done in a slow, controlled manner, while emphasizing proper form and joint position. The resistance should fatigue the muscle group near the end of the set.

Simply put, the muscle fibers are the fundamental element of the muscle. The three types of muscle fibers are: slow twitch (slow oxidating (SO) or type I), fast twitch (Fast oxidative - glycolyme (FOG) or type IIA) and pure fast twitch (FT or Type IIB). Slow twitch fibers get most of their energy from fat burning, a process that requires oxygen. This is also fueled by the fibers' ample supply of blood vessels, glycogen, mitochondria (cellular furnaces where fat and nutrients are burned) and the blood fats inside of various related cells. The pure fast twitch fibers are dissimilar in that they contract rapidly and fatigue easier. These fibers get their energy from burning glycogen. There are fewer mitochondria in the cells that compose fast twitch fiber; therefore, these fibers burn less fat than slow twitch fibers.

Similarly yet distinctively, the fast twitch fibers do also contract rapidly, but sustain a greater level of endurance. This may be because they have more mitochondria than the pure fast twitch fibers, but less than the slow twitch fibers. By far the most remarkable benefit of peak or high intensity weight training (or extended duration aerobics) is that you can change pure fast twitch fibers into regular fast twitch oxidative fibers. This particular variety of high intensity weight training activity increases the amount of mitochondria in the fast twitch fibers to levels much higher than those found in the slow twitch fibers. And as you might have guessed, with more mitochondria present and employable in the muscle cells, more fat is burned. This is the key to weight management.

Your metabolism and the rate at which it functions represents the amount of energy you need on a daily basis to sustain your life functions. Even when lounging or sleeping, muscle tissue is very active and can require up to 45 calories per pound per day. Therefore, losing muscle (muscle atrophy) or more specifically not maintaining muscle results in a decline in your metabolic rate. Subsequently, with less muscle, your body requires less energy.

Food (nutrients) once used as energy is now stored as fat. A prudent, long term and consistent weight training program is the greatest contributor to avoiding a decrease in lean muscle mass and overall metabolic rate, as well as metabolic and body systems function diminution. Commencing a regular weight training program can and should take some effort. But no matter what your age or level of conditioning might be, weight training will fuel an abiding lifestyle and add longevity, functionality and vitality to your life.

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