Why Strength Training is the Missing Component of Your Fat Loss Program

Most People Who Train For Fat Loss Never Consider the Need For Strength

Many people hiring me as a personal trainer, especially in the last few months, have come in without the ability to do a simple body-weight squat. That's right - the same movement that you use to sit in a chair or on the toilet. Of course when you're sitting in a chair you can just sit back and let the chair "catch" you, but you can't do that with most common exercise movements (like the body weight squat). Some of the best fat burning programs that I've used, involved exercises like: jump squats, burpees, body weight squats, lunges, and sprints. So here's the problem:

If you can't do a basic squat with your own weight, how are your joints going to handle running, jogging or other exercises?

This is why many of my fat-loss clients spend the majority of their first month or two working on strength training.

I talked to a woman in my gym just the other day, who was experiencing severe knee pain because she tried to go running and injured herself. My heart goes out to her. After all, she took the common advice that's given out by personal trainers, books, and websites; which is to go running to lose fat. What Those Sources Don't Tell You is that You Need a Good Foundation of Strength Before You Can do Most "Generic" Fat Loss Routines.

So What Does Someone Do When They're Too Weak to Do Most Basic Exercises?

Note: Make sure that you're cleared by your doctor prior to starting any exercise program, and especially before following the advice below.

Isometrics

Now if you've heard about isometrics before, and heard that they're dangerous, please realize that there are actually two categories of isometric exercise. These Isometrics are called "yielding isometrics" because they let the muscle "yield" or lengthen, due to gravity, over time. These are much safer than "concentric isometrics" where a person pushes, as hard as they can, against an immovable object. Concentric isometrics can cause very high levels of stress to be placed on your joints and ligaments, and should only be performed by highly experienced trainees under qualified supervision.

Yielding isometrics are one of the best exercises to slowly develop strength in people who are extremely weak. In fact, it's often used by physical therapists to transition an injured person back to the point where they can do traditional resistance training.

1. Start Out By Doing the "Iso Wall Squat."

The Wall Squat is one of the safest ways to strengthen your lower body before you move on to traditional body weight squats or barbell squats.

Get a box or stool about 10-12" in height, that is strong enough to hold your body weight.
Find a wall that you can lean against (make sure it's sturdy)
Place your box or stool against the wall and stand with your back towards the wall while straddling the box with both legs
Lean against the wall with your back flat, and carefully pull yourself down the wall until your knees are bent at 90 degrees
Make sure that your feet are placed approximately as wide as your hips. Raise your heals off of the ground, so that you're resting only on the balls of your feet (this will help strengthen your feet)
Look Straight ahead and hold for 1 minute. If you can't hold that long, stand up and take three breaths, and then return to the same position. Repeat until you've reached 1 minute
Once you can hold your own body weight continuously for 1 minute, try doing a traditional body weight squat - you'll be surprised at how much easier it is.

Try the "Iso Push-up Plank."

The Iso Pushup Plank is great way to strengthen your core and develop shoulder stability.

Find Yourself a soft mat (like a yoga mat) or a carpeted area and kneel down on the mat with your hands on the ground in front of you
Raise your body up so that only your hands and feet are touching the ground (this should look like the top of a traditional push-up position)
Make sure that your hands are directly under your shoulders, not out to either side and not out in front of you
Ensure that your legs are straight and that only your toes are touching the ground
Brace against your abdomen (as if someone was going to punch you in the stomach) and look about 45degrees in front of where your hands are placed.
Make sure that the back of your head, upper back, and butt are all lined up. It shouldn't look like your butt is sticking in the air, or sagging down.
Hold for 1 minute. If you can't hold that long, rest on your knees, take three breaths, and then return to the same position. Repeat until you've reached 1 minute
Once you can hold continuously for an entire minute, you can move on to doing push-ups from your knees, and eventually normal push-ups.

I've had great results using these two movements to introduce my clients to much more difficult programs. It's well worth the effort!

Jonathan McSweet is a certified artisanfitness.com/personal-training personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and the owner of Artisan Fitness Inc.

Artisan Fitness Inc. offers Personal Training and a artisanfitness.com/baton-rouge-boot-camp Baton Rouge Boot Camp in the Greater Baton Rouge area.