Machines vs Bodyweight for Fat Loss

Let's talk about bodyweight exercise alternatives--can people really get a good fat burning workout just using their bodyweight and a set of dumbbells?

The answer is yes.

They don't need fancy machines or expensive gym memberships?

No.

There's nothing magical about machines. And to be honest with you, machines are only designed for the "average sized" person. So if you are short or tall, you are really out of luck.

If you train at home, or on the road while traveling for business, you're not going to have access to fancy equipment. You might have to "get by" with only dumbbells and your bodyweight.

But since you only have a short amount of time to workout, say 3 sessions of 45 minutes per workout per week, it is a big help if we can pair dumbbell and bodyweight exercises together in our workouts.

(Hey, I've tried training a client on a Bowflex...and we spent more time trying to set-up the machine for different exercises than he did using it. Eventually we got him to get a set of powerblocks to avoid the hassle.)

On the other hand, there are dozens of bodyweight exercises we can use for bodysculpting for the lower body, abs, and upper body that  require no set-up at all.

Some of my favorite bodyweight exercises are...

a) Spiderman Pushups

b) Any single leg exercise (from single-leg squats, to split squats, to the many types of step-ups I use, to all the lunges you can think of)

c) Total body ab exercises (I try to avoid crunching motions - bodyweight crunches are limited in effectiveness, so I prefer to use total body ab exercises like mountain climbers or burpees)

d) Close-grip Pushups (these work a woman's arms better than any triceps kickback ever will)

e) Lying Single-Leg Hip Extensions for the butt

f) Chin-ups for arms (and there's even a really cool way for men and women to do assisted chin-ups if they are just starting out on this exercise, and I'm not talking about those expensive, gigantic assisted pull-up machines)

One of the best uses of bodyweight exercises are in fat burning bodyweight circuits. These circuits are a great replacement for regular cardio and even for intervals.

Take 3 upper body bodyweight exercises and alternate them with 3 lower body bodyweight exercises. Rest 1 minute and repeat 3-5 times for a 20 minute bodyweight workout. Bodyweight exercises are great for all us desk jockeys, because it improves our mobility and reduces upper body tension.

Bodyweight training gives you fast fat loss, at no cost, and without the need for a 2nd garage in your house to store all the equipment. You can take your bodyweight workouts outside in the summer, on the road when you travel, and even on holidays so that you don't miss a workout.

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Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit: http://wilsonhs26.turbulence.hop.clickbank.net/