The “other” spare tire
As horrible as spare tire syndrome is, there’s an epidemic that’s just as worst, it’s called back fat. That’s right, many men are focusing on their arms and chest and leaving their back out of the equation are doing themselves a strong disservice according to Simon King, personal trainer and owner of Cre8 Fitness gym in London.
“First, poor diet; eating whole foods that don’t inflame your body is a solid starting point,” Says King. “Second, neglecting the back muscles in training can sometimes be the cause since too many guys overtrain their chest and arms—the muscles they can see in the mirror—which can atrophy muscles in the back,”
King explains you always want to add compound movements into your workout. Exercises like the deadlift, squats, pull-ups, and pushups are all popular options.
“Third, a lack of high-intensity cardiovascular training can also be the pitfall since you need a multi-approached attack to really shift a stubborn fat storing area, and this form of training is really geared towards burning fat.”
While that advice is great in theory, what does a high intensity training workout really look like? We’re glad you asked. Below are 3 quick workout routines that will get rid of that stubborn back fat in no time.
Routine #1: The 200 Challenge
Directions: Complete 10 deadlifts followed by 10 push ups for 10 total rounds for time. Don’t pause for rest. “Once the 200 reps are completed, note your time and aim to beat that next go-around,” King says. Make sure you maintain safe and correct form throughout.
– Deadlifts x 10 (Beginners use 50% of body weight on bar; intermediate lifters use 75% of bodyweight; advanced lifters use 100% of bodyweight.)
– Pushups x 10
Routine #2: The Hurt So Good
Perform the exercises as supersets keeping full range in your movements and a controlled tempo. Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes, resting only as needed. Your score is determined by the total reps completed, so if you did 4 full rounds you have a score of 152 (38 reps x 4 rounds), get it?. Try to bet your previous score each workout.
1A. Front squat x 6 (75% of your bodyweight on the bar)
1B. Pull ups x 6
2A. Back squat x 10 (75% of your bodyweight on the
Routine #3: The Finisher
Do as many reps of an exercise as possible in 45 seconds, rest 15 seconds, and then move on to the next movement. After you complete Exercise 4, rest 1 minute. That’s 1 round. Do a total of 6 rounds—for a 30-minute workout that’ll bust stubborn fat for good.
Exercise 1. Pushup-position row
Exercise 2. Skier swing
Exercise 3. Lateral squat switches
Exercise 4. Clean to push press.
Wrap Up
There you go, three workouts all under 30 minutes that will get you shredded and make back fat a thing of the past. While there is no “quick trick” to cutting fat – having a more detailed direction can do wonders towards making more efficient progress.
As noted at the top, a poor diet is the first and most obvious factor in weight gain and problems cutting fat. While focused training can help burn calories – it’s ultimately what you do in the kitchen that will have the greatest impact. Use these training tips as an additional tool – not the only factor – for cutting down fat for good.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.