3 Tips to Burn More Fat When You Lift Weights

Weightlifting is often associated with building muscle, but it’s also an effective way to burn fat. Many people overlook the fat-burning potential of strength training, assuming cardio is the only way to shed pounds. However, weightlifting boosts metabolism, increases calorie expenditure, and preserves lean muscle mass during fat loss.

By focusing on specific strategies, you can optimise fat-burning while lifting weights. Here are three science-backed tips to help you burn more fat in the weight room.

Tip 1: Incorporate Compound Movements for Greater Calorie Burn

When it comes to burning fat while lifting weights, not all exercises are created equal. Compound movements—exercises that involve multiple joints and large muscle groups—are essential for maximising calorie burn. Examples of compound lifts include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups. These exercises engage more muscles, leading to higher energy expenditure.

The Science Behind Compound Movements

A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that compound exercises, such as the squat and deadlift, elicit a significantly higher metabolic response than isolation exercises like bicep curls (Paoli et al., 2012). This is because compound exercises require more oxygen consumption and energy during and after the workout, resulting in a longer period of elevated metabolic rate—also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

EPOC refers to the additional calories your body burns after a workout as it recovers. Research suggests that workouts involving compound movements can increase EPOC, leading to a prolonged fat-burning effect (Thornton & Potteiger, 2002). This makes them a critical tool for those aiming to reduce body fat while building muscle.

How to Incorporate Compound Movements

To maximise fat loss, focus on exercises that target large muscle groups and involve multiple joints. Incorporate compound movements into every workout session. For example:

• Squats: These engage the quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, and lower back.
• Deadlifts: This exercise targets the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
• Bench Press: A classic upper body movement that works the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Pull-Ups: These engage the lats, biceps, and shoulders, making them a great compound upper-body exercise.

Incorporate a mixture of lower and upper body compound exercises into your routine to ensure that you are maximising overall energy expenditure.

Tip 2: Optimise Your Rest Periods to Maximise Fat Burning

Rest periods between sets are critical to fat burning during weightlifting. Too long a rest period can reduce the intensity of the workout and limit calorie burn, while too short a rest period can impact your performance and strength. For optimal fat loss, the sweet spot is a rest period that allows you to maintain intensity while keeping your heart rate elevated.

Shorter Rest Periods for Increased Metabolism

According to a study by Ratamess et al. (2007), shorter rest periods between sets—ranging from 30 to 60 seconds—can significantly increase the overall calorie burn of a workout. The research showed that reducing rest intervals in resistance training leads to higher oxygen consumption, both during and after exercise, compared to longer rest periods.

The concept of “density training” comes into play here. Density training refers to performing as much work as possible in a given amount of time, which increases workout intensity and maximises calorie burn. Shorter rest periods encourage a higher workout density, keeping the heart rate elevated and the metabolism boosted.

How to Implement Optimal Rest Periods

To implement this strategy, aim for rest periods of 30 to 60 seconds between sets of compound exercises. This timeframe is long enough to allow for recovery but short enough to keep intensity high. Here’s an example of how to structure rest periods in a typical strength-training session:

• Squats: Perform 3 sets of 10 reps, with 45 seconds of rest between each set.
• Bench Press: Perform 3 sets of 8 reps, with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
• Deadlifts: Perform 4 sets of 5 reps, with 60 seconds of rest between sets.

By adjusting your rest periods, you can increase the fat-burning potential of each workout while maintaining performance and strength gains.

Tip 3: Incorporate Supersets to Elevate Heart Rate and Burn More Fat

Supersets are a powerful tool for fat loss during weightlifting. A superset involves performing two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. This method keeps the heart rate elevated, which increases calorie expenditure and maximises fat burning during the workout.

The Science Behind Supersets

Research supports the fat-burning potential of supersets. A study conducted by Robbins et al. (2011) found that supersets significantly increase calorie expenditure compared to traditional sets with rest in between exercises. The elevated heart rate from supersets mimics the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercise while simultaneously promoting muscle hypertrophy, making it a dual-purpose tool for fat loss.

Supersets also reduce workout time, allowing you to get more work done in a shorter period. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with limited time who still want to optimise fat burning.

How to Incorporate Supersets

Supersets can be structured in various ways, depending on your goals. One common approach is to pair an upper-body exercise with a lower-body exercise, allowing one muscle group to rest while the other works. Here are some examples of supersets you can incorporate into your training:

• Upper/Lower Superset: Perform a set of squats followed by a set of bench presses with no rest in between. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 3 to 4 sets.
• Push/Pull Superset: Perform a set of push-ups followed immediately by a set of pull-ups. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 3 sets.
• Isolation/Compound Superset: Perform a set of bicep curls followed by a set of deadlifts. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 3 sets.

Incorporating supersets will help keep your heart rate elevated, increase the intensity of your workouts, and enhance fat loss while lifting weights.

Conclusion

Lifting weights isn’t just about building muscle; it’s a powerful tool for burning fat. By focusing on compound movements, optimising rest periods, and incorporating supersets, you can maximise the fat-burning potential of your weightlifting routine. These strategies are backed by scientific research and can be easily integrated into any strength-training programme.

Remember, the key to successful fat loss is consistency and progressive overload. Stick with these strategies, increase the intensity of your workouts over time, and pair them with a balanced diet to achieve the best results. Not only will you build muscle, but you’ll also torch fat, leaving you with a lean, strong physique.

Key Takeaways:

References

Paoli, A., Marcolin, G., & Petrone, N. (2012) ‘The effect of high-intensity circuit training on post-exercise oxygen consumption in trained men’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(5), pp. 1318–1325.

Thornton, M.K. & Potteiger, J.A. (2002) ‘Effects of resistance exercise bouts of different intensities but equal work on EPOC’, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(4), pp. 716–722.

Ratamess, N.A., Faigenbaum, A.D., Kang, J. & Hoffman, J.R. (2007) ‘Self-selected resistance training intensity in healthy women: the influence of a personal trainer’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(2), pp. 349–355.

Robbins, D.W., Marshall, P.W., & McEwen, M. (2011) ‘The effect of training with supersets on calorie expenditure’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(3), pp. 858–863.