Win the War on Fat

By: The Editors of Men's Health 


Men gain the most fat between Thanksgiving and January 1, a fact that makes "lose the gut" a perennial staple atop New Year's resolution lists.

The best exercises for everything

To help you combat winter weight gain—and prime your body for future muscle growth—we turned to Juan Carlos Santana, M.Ed., C.S.C.S. As CEO of the Institute of Human Performance, in Boca Raton, Florida, Santana works with high-performance athletes and builds South Beach bodies year-round. By not allowing the calendar to determine the shape you're in, he can position you for your best fitness year ever.

Santana's principles are simple but effective: (1) Work large amounts of muscle to rev up your metabolism. (2) Strengthen your core and hone your balance to safeguard injury-prone areas. (3) Apply both of these precepts to one fat-torching total-body workout routine, performed 3 days a week with at least a day of rest between workouts. The result: You'll be leaner and stronger than you were before the holidays. And that means you'll be free to use your New Year's resolutions for something other than dropping your deadweight.

High intensity cardio

Do each exercise in this circuit 1 (moves 1-3) without resting between moves. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds and repeat the circuit twice more. Follow the same pattern with circuit 2 (moves 4-6) and circuit 3 (moves 7-8).


Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Barbell Squat


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Hold the bar across your upper back with an overhand grip.
  2. Keeping your lower back arched, lower your body as deep as you can. Initiate the movement by first pushing your hips back, then bend your knees. Pause, then reverse the movement back to the starting position.

The 30 worst sandwiches in America

This move works:
Calves, Core, Quadriceps
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Swiss-Ball Pushup


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Get in pushup position, but place your hands on a Swiss ball instead of the floor.
  2. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has broken down. When this happens, consider that your last repetition and end the set.
This move works:
Abs, Chest, Core, Shoulders, Triceps
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Torso Rotation


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Grab the handle of a shoulder-high pulley cable (or resistance bands) with both hands. With your left side to the weight stack and both arms extended toward the stack, step away until you feel tension.
  2. Keeping your arms straight, rotate your shoulders to the right, then return.

Hit the accelerator

This move works:
Obliques
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff,

Barbell Bench Press


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip that's just wider than shoulder-width, and hold it above your sternum with arms completely straight.
  2. Lower the bar straight down, pause, then press the bar in a straight line back up to the starting position. Keep your elbows tucked in, so that your upper arms form a 45-degree angle with your body in the down position. This reduces stress on your shoulder joints.

Burn more fat on the treadmill


This move works:
Chest
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Alternating Row


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Grab a pulley handle in each hand and step back so there's slight tension in the cables. Quickly pull the left handle in toward the left side of your chest.
  2. Allow your arm to straighten as you draw your right arm in.

10-Minute fat blaster

This move works:
Biceps, Chest
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Medicine-Ball Chop


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Stand holding a medicine ball with your arms straight and over your left shoulder. Pivot to the left so that your right heel rises off the floor and your torso faces left. This is the starting position.
  2. Quickly bend your knees and rotate your torso to the right as you draw your arms across your body and down. Once the ball is outside your right lower leg, quickly reverse the motion to return to the starting position. Complete your repetitions, then switch positions to work the opposite side.

Bust out of your rut

This move works:
Calves, Core, Obliques, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

V-Grip Cable Row


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Attach a V-grip to the cable, grasp it with both hands and position yourself with your feet braced.
  2. Without moving your torso, pull the V-grip toward your midsection. Pause, then slowly lower your body back to the starting position.

 

This move works:
Shoulders, Upper Back
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Single-Leg Squat Touchdown


Step 1

Step 2
  1. Balance on your right leg with your knees slightly bent and your hands on your hips.
  2. Slowly bend your knee to lower your body toward the floor while reaching toward the outside of your right foot with your left hand. Push through your heel and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position.

Americas 10 best gyms

This move works:
Calves, Core, Glutes, Quadriceps
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Dumbbell Cross Punch


Step 1

Step 2

Step 3
  1. Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells in front of you, palms angled in.
  2. Punch your left fist forward and slightly to the right, rotating your wrist as you go.
  3. Draw your arm back as you punch with your right fist.

Work out harder, faster and longer

This move works:
Biceps, Chest, Core, Obliques
Photo Credit: Beth Bischoff

Copyright© 2013 Rodale Inc. "Fitbie" is a registered trademark of Rodale, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permission of Rodale, Inc.