How Strength Training Helps Burn Fat Faster

While you may have heard that the best way to burn fat is through short-interval aerobic exercise, you can also burn fat with certain types of strength training. This is because, the more muscle you have, the more fat you can burn though normal activities - meaning, you will be burning fat even when you're not working out! You can also combine aerobic exercise with strength training to get a double whammy effect against fat.

Here are several methods of strength training you can use to burn fat and lose weight:

Note: Don't worry about bulking up - if this is a concern for you. Strength training doesn’t necessarily have to bulk you up. It can actually tone your body and help build your muscles just enough to help hold your body in more perfect alignment. Doing so can help you appear thinner and reduce body fat at the same time.

1. Circuit Training

This is something you can find at different studios that involve doing each machine for a specific period of time - usually at a fast pace. It’s a good way to get both cardio in and strength training. Usually there is little or no rest in between each machine and exercises are done in between machines as well.

2. Isometric (Or "Slow-Burn") Weight Training

This is a type of resistance training where you use the weights by holding them at certain angles for 30 seconds to one minute instead of doing faster repetitions. This kind of strength training can also be done without weights. For instance, doing planks works well too. It increases strength and stamina.

3. High-Volume Training

This type of strength training involves working one muscle group per week, concentrating on cardiovascular the rest of the time. This gives the muscle groups ample time to recover allowing for the best and most efficient building of strength training without bulking up your muscles. You can build long, lean muscles with high volume training.

4. Core Exercises

Doing core strength training exercises such as Pilates and yoga will help your body become a fat burning furnace. Try hot yoga, or purchase a Pilates machine to use at home for no excuse workouts that build endurance while building strength. The better shape your core is in, the better your fitness level will be and the more fat you’ll burn.

5. Resistance Training for Building Strength

Using your own body, bands or other methods to provide resistance during exercise will build your strength and muscles which will also burn more fat off your body. The great thing about resistance training is that you can combine it with cardio for increased results. Use bodyweight training, or choose simple tools such as resistance bands, or more advanced workout equipment like the resistance exercise chair.

6. Mixed Exercise: Cardio Plus Strength Training Combined

Many exercise gurus have put out videos and programs that combine cardio with resistance training that work extra well. You can typically work out for half the time by combining the two together in creative ways and burn more calories. You can seriously blast fat away with these programs - and many of them are a lot of fun!

Try this one, for example: Shaun T's FOCUS T25 Base Kit - DVD Workout

7. Cardio Then Strength Training

You can also burn fat by doing the exercises separately. The strength training builds muscle, which burns more fat, and the cardio burns fat. You can do the cardio and the strength training together or separately. Studies show that it doesn’t really matter, other than the fact that when you do it together you can do it in half the time.

Burning fat through strength training is a two-pronged effort. You’ll need to combine strength training with some sort of cardiovascular exercise for it to be the most effective and to avoid having bulky muscles. But, for long-term fitness goals, this is your fat burning answer.