Strength Training for Fat Loss Read online

  Strength Training for Fat Loss

  Nick Tumminello

  Human Kinetics

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Tumminello, Nick.

  Strength training for fat loss / Nick Tumminello.

  pages cm

  Includes bibliographical references.

  1. Weight loss. 2. Reducing exercises. 3. Muscle strength. I. Title.

  RM222.2.T799 2014

  613.2'5--dc23

  2013042013

  ISBN-10: 1-4504-3207-7 (print)

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4504-3207-8 (print)

  Copyright © 2014 by Nick Tumminello

  All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  This publication is written and published to provide accurate and authoritative information relevant to the subject matter presented. It is published and sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, medical, or other professional services by reason of their authorship or publication of this work. If medical or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

  The web addresses cited in this text were current as of November 2013, unless otherwise noted.

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  We thank BB3 Training Center in Sunrise, Florida, for assistance in providing the location for the photo shoot for this book.

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  This book is dedicated to my late grandmothers: Rita Whitehouse and Mary Jane Tumminello. From the day I was born until the day each of them passed on, they spoiled me rotten and always made me feel as if their world revolved around me. And that's the kind of love that every kid should grow up with and have in his life.

  I'd also like to dedicate this book to my mother Faith Bevan and to my father Dominic Tumminello. Although you both have very different outlooks on life and on raising me, you both have done one thing that's exactly the same. And that is not just being a wonderful and loving parent, but also a best friend to me.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  Key to Muscles

  Chapter 1: Benefits of Fat Loss

  Better Sport Performance

  Improved Strength

  Better Cardio Conditioning

  Increased Energy

  Healthier Joints

  Healthier Weight

  Less Stress

  Less Anxiety and Depression

  Better Sleep

  Chapter 2: Strength Training and Fat Loss

  Muscle Gains Through Strength Training

  What Is Metabolic Strength Training?

  What Makes Metabolic Strength Training So Beneficial?

  Chapter 3: Nutrition for Fat Loss

  How the Body Processes Food

  The Truth About Diets

  The No-Diet Diet Solution

  The Lowdown on Supplements

  Chapter 4: Circuits

  Big Circuit Training

  Circuits

  Chapter 5: Combinations

  Combination Training

  Combinations

  Chapter 6: Complexes

  Complex Training

  Complexes

  Chapter 7: Body-Weight Training

  Pros and Cons of Body-Weight Training

  Body-Weight Exercises

  Chapter 8: Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs for Fat Loss

  Warm-Ups

  Cool-Down

  Chapter 9: Fat-Loss Workouts

  Break-In Workout Programs for Beginners

  Muscle-Base Workout Program

  Metabolic Strength Training Workout Programs

  Body-Weight Workout Programs

  Fat-Loss Five Workout Program

  Chapter 10: Fat-Loss Training for Life

  Change Up Your Routine

  Take Time for Rest and Recovery

  References

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  As I put together this list of acknowledgments, I'm taken on a trip down memory lane. And, that (memory) lane is a road that would not be paved to where it is if it weren’t for the people on this list.

  I have to start off by thanking my wonderful girlfriend, Jaclyn Gough, who is not only the sweetest and most beautiful person (inside and out) I’ve ever met, but she’s that person we all need on our team who gives us unwavering love and support. I'm very lucky about a lot of things in my life, and one of those is getting to know you, Jackie, and grow closer to you more and more each day. Not to mention, Jackie is not only a big part of my life, but she’s also a big part of this book, as she is one of the exercise models.

  Big hugs go out to Deanna Avery and Paul Christopher for not only being some of the best friends I could ever ask for, but also for taking time away from their family and friends to model the exercises in this book. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Billy Beck (the Third) for his incredible hospitality in allowing us to do the photo shoot for this book at his facility: The BB3 Training Center. Each of you, Deanna, Paul, and Billy, are forever a part of this book, and I hope you’re as proud to be a part of it as I am to have you as a part of i
t.

  I have to give a shout out to my South Florida friends Rob Simonelli and Maggy and Alex Cambronero. The professional and personal support you’ve given me and Jackie is something you can’t put a price on, and I’m forever grateful to call you our friends.

  As an exercise enthusiast, I owe a big debt of gratitude to my longtime friend and fellow high school classmate Brad DeLauder. I could not have asked for a better weightlifting partner to share so much blood and sweat with from the time we were out of high school to our mid-20s. Those are some of the best memories I have, and I have Brad to thank for making that such a fun, memorable, and important time in my life.

  I owe a special thanks to my mother, Faith Bevan, for not only being a great mom but for also raising me, as she says, “on the smell of iron and sweat.” Going to the gym with you while you were training for your bodybuilding shows back in the ’80s and seeing your dedication to leading a healthy and active lifestyle is clearly a big part of what made me who I am as a man and what I do as a professional. And to John Cavalier: thank you for being a great husband to my mother and a great friend to me.

  If there is one thing that I have learned in life, it is that there are smart people and then there are good thinkers. Smart people are great at memorizing facts, but good thinkers are great at working things out. My father, Dominic Tumminello, not only taught me to always be myself—an independent-minded individual—but also how to be a good thinker to whom, as he says, “there are no problems, only solutions.” This book is all about working out ways to use proven training principles to provide safe and effective training solutions. So, this book would not be possible if were not for the inspiration and life lessons I got from you, Dad.

  As a professional fitness trainer, I owe a huge thanks to Marc Spataro, who is not only someone I love like a brother but the man who I was lucky enough to co-own a private training facility, FitNology (in Baltimore, MD), with for almost 10 years. I’ve always loved training clients and athletes, and working with Marc every day made it even better because I got to hang out with one of my best friends. This book would certainly not be possible if it weren’t for Marc because all the techniques and applications featured here were developed and refined in the gym we co-owned together.

  Firm handshakes and big hugs go out to all of my friends and colleagues who have taken the time to share their wisdom and experiences with me and who continue to help make me a better trainer and teacher and for making big contributions to the betterment of the fitness field: Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld, Bob Esquerre, Jim Kielbaso, Mike T. Nelson, Jonathan Ross, Jonathan Fass, Alan Aragon, Leigh Peele, Mark Comerford, Bob and Ron Rossetti at North East Seminars, Shawn Myska, Rob Taylor, Vince McConnell, Mark Young, Bill Sonnemaker, Cassandra Forsythe, Jose Antonio, Roger Lawson, Mike Reinold, Eric Cressey, Tony Gentilcore, Ben Bruno, Dan Blewett, Yudi Kerbel, Dave Parise, Stephen Holt, Marie Spano, Jermey Shore, Mark McKean, Charles Staley, Ilene Bergelson, David Jack, Jon Erik Kawamoto, Luka Hocevar, Jonathan Goodman, and Claudia Micco.

  I also owe a big thanks to my great friends and long-time clients with whom I got to spend a great deal of time with while I was in Baltimore: Mark Simon, Barbie Horneffer, Katie Horneffer, Sheila Fisher, Rufus Williams and Sheila Williams, Mary Hackney and Hap Hackney, Betsy Gorman (RIP), Moira Howen, Jeep Cochran, Maggy and Walter Brewster, Jen Watson, Kathryn Sweren, Alli Oliver, Henry Smith, Scott Anderson, Craig Rubenstein, John Rallo and the rest of the Ground Control crew, Binky Jones, Rick Desper, Elen and Charlie Rizzuto, Quinn Sypniewski, Kate Grevey Blankenship and Daniel Blankenship, Lindsay Janeway, Andrea and Larry Knight, Ken Wolf, Constance White, Lacey Morley, Annie Jenkins, Benji and Tim Jenkins, Morgan Johnson, Yoni Ronsenblatt, Gary Stastny, Nick Christo, Joy Blitz, Yudi Kerbel, Ellie Cox, Teri Rexroad Bickford, and Lisa Julio. Many of the names on this list are a big part of this book because many of the training concepts, techniques, and protocols featured here were first developed and used by them.

  As a fitness writer, I must thank the Human Kinetics family—with special thanks to Justin Klug, Laura Pulliam, and Neil Bernstein—for allowing me the opportunity to share a piece of myself and the Performance University training concepts and techniques with the fitness world through this book. It’s truly an honor to work with you and bring this project to life.

  I’ve had the privilege of writing articles for many major fitness magazines and websites. None of those articles, or the writing experience and recognition I’ve gained, would be possible if it were not for Sean Hyson, T.C. Luoma, Lou Schuler, Bryan Krahn, Michal Kapral, Nate Green, Andrew Heffernan, Jen Sinkler, David Barr, Jim Casey, Alexander Zakrzewski, Jebadiah Roberts, Jerry Kindela, Andy Haley, Rachel Crocker, Jeff O’Connel, Nick Collias, Lisa Steuer, Lindsay Vastola, Adam Bornstein, Michael Easter, Greg Presto, Jessica Smith Gomez, Nick Bromberg, Erin McGee and Sarah Masi.

  As a fitness educator, I have to send a big shout out to Benji Jenkins for helping me create my first 10 DVD projects, to Rio Santana for helping me put together my DVD projects to follow, and to Dane Davenport, who’s done an awesome job helping me to continually develop the Performance University website (www.performanceu.net).

  I also owe a big thanks to all of the professional fitness organizations and individuals who have given me the honor of presenting for them at their conferences, events, and fitness centers from China to Iceland and throughout the US. A special thanks goes out to the staff at IDEA and NSCA, along with Mike Bates and Nick Bromberg.

  Last, but certainly not least, I owe a big debt of gratitude to Peter Bognanno and everyone at Reebok, to Matt Paulson and Hylete, and to Bert Sorin, Richard Sorin, and everyone at the Sorinex Equipment family, who have supported me over the years and provided me with the best fitness apparel and training equipment on the planet.

  Introduction

  Most books about fat loss are diet books. And, most diet books are based on fads that come and go like clothing styles. This book, however, isn’t based on fads or miracle claims—it’s based on scientifically founded training principles, sensible and realistic nutritional strategies, consistency, and hard work.

  That’s right—fat loss requires hard work and consistency. And that consistency involves not just how often you exercise but also the food choices you make. That being said, although what you eat is vital for fat loss, it does not take nearly an entire book to tell you what you need to know, nor does it require unrealistic, restrictive dieting. That’s why this book dedicates one comprehensive chapter to nutrition—that’s all you need—and focuses the rest on the exercise aspect of fat loss. Specifically, it explains how to use the three Cs of metabolic strength training—circuits, combinations, and complexes—to accelerate your metabolism and maximize fat loss while keeping muscle and even building muscle. Put simply, this book provides an easy-to-follow, realistic guide to ensure that the work you’re putting in is as smart, safe, efficient, and effective as possible.

  While the inexperienced exerciser will appreciate the simple way the information is presented, advanced exercisers and fitness professionals will certainly recognize the effectiveness or the principle-based training methods it presents and will gain exciting new ideas and organizational strategies for fat-loss training. So whether you’re a beginner looking for a step-by-step guide to fat loss or a seasoned fitness professional simply looking for some new exercises to spice up your training, this book has more than enough for you!

  This book is set up so that each chapter can be used as a stand-alone resource for training concepts and techniques that you can keep coming back to. In chapter 1, Benefits of Fat Loss, I present a number of reasons for losing fat that go far beyond just looking better. Sure, it’s great to improve the way you look, but there are several health and performance reasons for losing fat.

  In chapter 2, Strength Training and Fat Loss, I discuss the three Cs of metabolic strength training—complexes, combinations, and circuits—that are the basis of the exercise protocols in this book, describing what makes
them effective methods for fat loss. In chapter 3, Nutrition for Fat Loss, I tell you everything you need to know (and nothing you don’t) about how to eat in a simple, sensible and realistic way to stay healthy and accelerate your metabolism in order to maximize fat loss and keep your muscle.

  In chapter 4, Circuits, I cover what a metabolic strength training circuit is, how to use the various types of fat-loss circuits, and how to perform a multitude of exercises using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables, and machines. In chapter 5, Combinations, I discuss metabolic strength training combinations and describe a multitude of combination exercise applications using barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells. In chapter 6, Complexes, I explore metabolic strength training complexes and look at various complex exercise sequences using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and Olympic weight plates. In chapter 7, Body-Weight Training, I show you how body-weight training can be used for fat loss by providing a variety of body-weight exercises, combinations, and complexes.

  In chapter 8, Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs for Fat Loss, you’ll get a variety of warm-up sequences and self-massage drills you can use to bookend your workouts and make your training well rounded. In chapter 9, Fat-Loss Workouts, I provide body-weight and gym-based beginner workout programs and intermediate workout programs to develop your training base. For when you’ve developed your training base or if you’re an advanced exerciser, I also provide 6 months of metabolic strength training workouts that integrate a variety of circuits, complexes, and combinations into comprehensive training plans. Plus, I show you how to use the Fat-Loss Five workout protocol. And finally, in chapter 10, Fat-Loss Training for Life, I discuss rest and recovery, cross-training options, and the general rules of training safety and exercise selection to ensure you continue to achieve the best training results for a long time to come.

  Now that you know what you’re in for, let’s talk shop!

  Key to Muscles

  Chapter 1

  Benefits of Fat Loss

  Fat loss is almost always associated with appearance—just look at magazines, books, and TV infomercials for proof of that. It’s no surprise, because a lean, athletic-looking body is something almost everybody wants. It helps us look better both in and out of our clothes. But, what about the improved health and performance benefits of losing fat and having a lean body? In this chapter I’m going to share the multitude of health and performance benefits that a fat-loss plan such as the one provided in this book can offer athletes, weekend warriors, and exercise enthusiasts.