ShareMost people don’t realize the fat burning potential of strengthening their hips and shoulders. But working these often-neglected muscle groups can help you to boost your calorie burn and sculpt a better body.
So you need to consider these two joints the new linchpins of faster fat burning.
Think about it.
Both your hips and shoulders are connected to the muscles with the greatest power and calorie burning potential… Yet, like I said, most people forget about them…
1. Glutes
Your hips connect your torso with your legs and glutes – the muscles with the biggest fat burning potential. The more power you generate in your lower body, the more calories you can burn every workout.
2. Upper Back
By strengthening your shoulders, you can unleash the calorie torching power of your back muscles.
Strengthen both of these joints, and you’ll become better at dominating every workout you do. You’ll get more “bang for your buck” with every push up, plank, squat, lunge and chin up – and boost your total calorie burn.
And by getting stronger shoulders and hips, you will also ward off pesky injuries that can sideline you.
But here’s the best part…
Targeting your upper back and glutes has sexy bonuses too. More shapely shoulders can make your waist look slimmer from every angle. Plus, you will develop and improve your total body movements with tighter glutes.
Sexy results!
Here’s an awesome workout to target the hot zone muscles to sculpt a better body that uses my 3 step process…
Activate – Strengthen – Fatigue
Remember, the activate sequence is THE most important part of the entire circuit. Please don’t skip it. If the right muscles you’re trying to target are not activated correctly, you’re more likely to compensate and miss out on reaching your full potential.
1. Activate
Do 10 reps of each exercise, with no rest between the moves for 3 rounds.
1A) Single leg glute bridge
1B) I-T-Y Complex
1C) Crab Crawl with Alternating Reach
2. Strengthen
Do 8 reps of each exercise, resting for 15 seconds between the moves. Do 3 rounds total.
2A) Negative Chin Up
- Rest 15s
2B) Single Leg RDL to Curtsy Squat
- Rest 15s
2C) Decline Push Up
- Rest 15s
3. Fatigue
Do 20 seconds each exercise, with 10 seconds rest. Repeat for 4 rounds.
3A) Ski Jumps
3B) Single Leg Walkout
When you’re done with this hot zone circuit, you can add this “cardio” workout to finish off. But you won’t need an elliptical, treadmill or bike.
This breakthrough cardio will improve your heart health, boost your endurance and even speed up your metabolism so you burn fat while you sleep.
And the best part? This cardio workout is non-impact and suited to all fitness levels…
Power Cardio Accelerator – 8 minutes
Do each exercise for 30 seconds work and 30 seconds rest, for 2 rounds. Count your reps and aim to add one more rep each round – with good form of course.
A) Squats x 30s
- Rest 30s
B) Plank x 30s
- Rest 30s
C) Total body extension x 30s
- Rest 30s
D) Power Punches x 30s
- Rest 30s
Boom! That was fun, wasn’t it?!
Get Progressive ZERO Equipment Cardio Workouts that take 20 minutes or less
Have an awesome day!
Kate Vidulich, BSc, ACSM, Master CTT
