With all this talk about metabolic training, it’s important to understand the true science behind it. How it works, how it impacts a client’s fitness level and body, and more importantly, what needs to be in place in order for them to receive those benefits.
It’s critical to know that not everyone who tries metabolic training is going to realize the benefits they imagine. As noted in earlier chapters, this form of training needs to be done with intensity. If the client is not working hard enough, they are not going to see the results anticipated.
They should feel like this is one of the hardest workouts that they have ever done before. If they not, chances are, they are not doing true metabolic training.
This is not the time to ‘go easy’ on them. If working with a client who you do not think is capable of exercising at the intensity level needed for these workouts, find another workout variety for them to do, until they are ready. That would be a far smarter way to approach this plan.
The good news is, if the client is at the level to try this training, it is highly effective because it addresses 99% of all client’s goals in one workout:
- To build muscle
- To burn fat
- To get into better conditioning (athletes)
It cannot be forgotten that this type of training is very time-efficient, so fits in with the busy schedule that most people have. It’s simply one of the most effective ways to get the best bang for your buck.
Let’s talk science, shall we? I want to go over some more of the research on how this works and why it’s a training variety you should be turning to time and time again.
The Power of EPOC
We briefly noted the concept of EPOC in an earlier chapter, but now let’s go into more depth about what this exactly is.
EPOC stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. This essentially refers to the level of damage that is done to the body during a high-intensity workout session and how much energy has to be expended by the body in order to return to a state of homeostasis. The body has a great desire to always maintain the status quo. It does not like change and in fact, will resist it every chance it gets (which is why weight loss can be so difficult).
When doing intense exercise, the body is being pushed past its comfort zone and do more than it knows how to deal with. This creates microtrauma within the cell – trauma that then has to be repaired. The body must go through an extensive repair process before returning to the state it was before the intense exercise. It is this process that burns significant energy. This can also be thought of as replacing the oxygen debt, as well.
When exercising very intensely, the body is being robbed of oxygen that it needs. As exercise progresses, the body has a harder and harder time getting sufficient oxygen to the muscle cell. Because of this, the body builds up debt. By the time the workout is over, the body has a large debt that needs to be paid back. The process of paying it back – getting the oxygen level back to normal– also utilizes great amounts of energy and contributes to the post-exercise calorie burn.
In one study published in the Physiological Reports journal, researchers looked at what the impact of one bout of sprint interval training would have on the resting metabolic rate of a group of test subjects. They had 15 healthy men get their RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) tested and then perform the sprint interval training. After the training was completed, it was shown that sprint exercise increased the TDEE in every research participant with the magnitude of increase to the tune of 946 +/- 62kj/day.
This study clearly illustrates that interval training has the capacity to accelerate an individual’s total daily calorie burn despite only lasting a few minutes at a time.
In the world of fat loss, this is big news as far as future progress goes.
The Impact on HGH
Another exciting area where metabolic training is going to assist is with helping maintain higher overall levels of growth hormone. Human growth hormone is one of the primary hormones involved in keeping an individual strong, building muscle, energized, feeling their best, and for keeping the body lean.
One thing that some people may not realize is that growth hormone keeps fat gain at bay while upping the rate of protein synthesis to create new lean muscle mass. It really is one of the most powerful hormones in the body (next to testosterone – to be discussed shortly).
Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research noted that when subjects performed sprints of 100m, 200m, 300m, and 400 m, all sprints noted an increase in lactate and growth hormone levels once the sprinting was completed.
The Testosterone Implications
Likewise, metabolic training will also increase the other most anabolic hormone in the body, testosterone. Testosterone will help to boost overall protein synthesis rates, leading to increased muscle strength and size gains, while also improving overall performance. This hormone is also involved in help keeping the body as lean as possible. Therefore, when levels are higher, the client should notice their body fat decreasing.
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research noted that when cyclists performed sprint interval training with either low cadence (higher resistance) or high cadence (lower resistance). The low cadence group saw a testosterone increase to the tune of 97%, while the high cadence group saw a boost to the tune of 62%.
From this, it can be seen that regardless of what type of interval training is performed, testosterone will be increasing. But, the more effective type of interval training to perform is one that will have the client working against higher resistance levels. This is where metabolic training tends to really excel.
The Stick with It Factor
Want another reason to get your clients on interval training? How about the fact that their chances of sticking with it are much higher?
A typical pattern of training with a new client starts when they are excited and compliant and then within two weeks, they aren’t showing up to their scheduled sessions. Research illustrates that people are more likely to stick with high-intensity training because they enjoy it more, compared to traditional lower intensity training. The more a client looks forward to their sessions, the more likely they are to attend. This is despite the fact those sessions are so very intense. It is more likely this is due to the continually changing nature of these workouts, which helps keep boredom at bay. Ultimately, it’s a great way to increase adherence rates with the clients.
A Lesson in Endurance
When most people think of intense interval training, they tend to think about benefits related to sprinting. Rarely do they think they’d improve on the endurance front. Surprisingly, research shows that interval training can boost endurance as well. A study in the PLOS[PG1] journal noted that when subjects performed just one sprint interval in an otherwise moderate intensity session, their overall endurance levels improved.
Therefore, if you have a client training for an endurance event, it may be worthwhile to implement some metabolic training, at some point, in their session to give their results a boost.
It Gives You Greater Variety
Finally, the last great benefit of metabolic training is the fact it offers unlimited variety. As a trainer, you are not bound to traditional cardio machines to perform these workouts. This suggests that you can work with clients anywhere and do this training, as well as give them more options if they really despise the traditional cardio methods.
For instance, burpees can be done with just one’s own body weight and prove to be just as effective at burning fat and improving conditioning as running, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning.
Don’t be afraid to break free from the norm and do something totally different. Chances are, your client will thank you for it.
So as you can see, this is one form of training that you don’t want to miss out on doing with your clients. When they are of the fitness level to get started, begin introducing it, even if slowly, so they can start reaping the great benefits to come.
Now What?
The latest research proves that metabolic conditioning training and HIIT are among the fastest ways to reach your fitness, health, athletic and weight loss goals. Most of your client’s goals are to burn fat, build muscle and get into amazing shape. And they rely on you to get them there. Science and research proves that metabolic training is the fastest way to get these results.
The Metabolic Conditioning Coach course is specifically designed to teach you the specific method of metabolic training. You will be giving the framework around this method of training and from there you will be able to put it into action.
Check out what it takes to start a career in personal training. This is your most affordable and fastest way to become a highly qualified personal trainer.
There is always something exciting about earning a new coaching or training certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. This also helps you hit the reset button.
NESTA certification programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites.
That’s it for now.
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