I’ve been getting some great feedback on a post series on the TTFatloss blog (you can get to the posts by putting “Mike Whitfield” in the search box… there are 3 posts regarding my Metabolic Finishers.)
A Solid Nutrition Plan, Intervals/Workout Finishers and Weight Training are weapons of fat destruction (and it's a cool movie title)
If you’re new to Metabolic Finishers, I’ll fill you in here. As you know (and you better know by now), interval training is superior to steady-state cardio training for fat loss. It’s basically an awesome tool to blast fat. But when you think of interval training, you’re probably thinking, “hop on the treadmill and run for your life, followed by walking with Grandpa”. That’s a cool way to look at it. Not because of the running for your life part, but walking with Grandpa. Because you need to spend more time with Grandpa. Grandpas are awesome!
Metabolic Finishers are a way to replace traditional interval training. Quite honestly, it’s my favorite part of writing an exercise program. They will help blast through fat loss plateaus and add new challenges to your workouts. You know what else is cool? It’s a good way to keep the fat at bay when trying to gain muscle mass (all the meatheads just went “cooooooool”).
This is what "sparked" my interest in metabolic finishers - Check it out!
So here’s the deal. I’m going to post a finisher here, with some “how-to” behind it, as well as an easier version so that you can really adjust the finisher to your fitness level. Brace yourself. You will be panting. As a matter of fact, I tested out a finisher just last week and I could literally smell the calories being burned. It smelled like wings and cake. My client admitted she had wings and cake. Then I shook my head, gave her a fist pump and moved on. That’s awesome because I found a way to take up space in this post with that sentence and that’s how I roll.
Metabolic Finisher “The Upper/Lower Countdown”
Do the following super-set resting as little as possible. In the first super-set, you will complete 10 reps of each exercise. In the next super-set, you will complete 9 reps. Continue in this fashion until you complete 1 rep of each exercise.
1A) Alternating Lunge Jumps (10 ea, 9 ea, 8 ea, etc, etc, down to 1 rep ea.)
1B) Push-ups (10, 9, 8, etc, etc. down to 1 rep)
Wanna make it really cool? Time yourself how long it takes you to finish it. The next time you do it, try to beat your previous time.
Make it easier
1A) Bodyweight Split Squat (10 ea, 9 ea, 8 ea, etc., etc. down to 1 rep ea) – You’ll do all reps on one side, and then switch
1B) Incline Push-ups or Kneeling Push-ups (10, 9, 8, etc., etc.)
Yo’ Shawty, how do I roll with these? <——- Nobody asked me like this, but I was disappointed that they didn’t. I would feel like a young lad again, but it’s all good.
Alternating Lunge Jumps
Push-ups – c’mon… you know what these are, don’t act like you don’t know
Bodyweight Split Squat – watch my fitness friend Jeannine Trimboli (AKA J-Trim) in the video (just take away the dumbbells)
Incline Push-ups
Bonus tip on the incline push-ups… the higher the incline, the easier it is. So, if you have aspirations (yeah, I know big words too… in your face!) to do normal push-ups, this is a great tool to progress. Every time you nail a certain height, try lowering the bar every week or two.
Have fun with these and don’t curse my name.
To your success,
Mike Whitfield, CTT (AKA Mikey)
P.S. Try this at the end of your next workout and let me know how it goes.
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Click here for Part 2 of Metabolic Finishers
Killer — but gonna try it!
Awesome… Let me know how it goes!
Hi Mike,
I did the ‘Make it easier’ approach and used the kneeling push ups. The kicker here is that I end up doing twice as many push ups because I have to do two sides for the split squat!
If I do that approach again I’ll alternate legs instead of doing one side at a time. Or most likely I’ll do the alternating jump lunge. And if I have more time, I’ll come back up the ladder after a 2 -3 minute rest.
Your thoughts…
Nice effort Frank! I think I got you figured out. I think what you were doing was doing one side for the split squat, and then you did the push-ups, then did the other side for the split squat. What you want to do is do 10 reps with your left foot forward, then 10 reps with the right foot forward, and then do the push-ups. I hope this makes sense. In other words, do all reps on both legs before proceeding to the push-ups.
Keep working hard!
Mike
I figured it out after re-reading the instructions – duh! I will submit the excuse that I was still pumped from eating (a lot!) at a Pizza Hut buffet a few hours earlier. Out of guilt(?) I decided to do the finisher before going to bed. I did have a good sleep!!
Mikey,
Yesterday (30 June) I did the Pain Workout by John R followed by the Upper-Lower Countdown metabolic Finisher using the ALternating Lunge Jumps and Incline Push Up on a bench. That really kicked my behind! I was gasping after doing reps 10 – 5 and then found reps 4 – 1 really felt easy and required less rest between them. I don’t know if I would do this every time…maybe just doing a shorter countdown 10 – 5 or 5 – 1 depending on the intensity of the workout.
Nice! That’s what it is all about… really finding what works for you. I think I lost some inches just reading your post Frank.
Stay strong,
Mikey
Hey Mikey,
Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July.
I did the Upper-Lower Countdown before the workout! What a warm up!!
The workout was the FREE 5-4-3 Workout by John Roman (http://www.freakingawesome.tv/members/5-4-3-quick-start-workout/) I provided the web site for you to check out if you don’t know what the workout consists of.
We didn’t have any fireworks due to the Monument Fire. Even though we’ve been having rain, still not enough to make it safe.
Wow, great article post.Thanks Again.
lol…. that is an awesome idea!