If you want to lose weight, the entire body has to get in shape. You cannot just get onto a bicycle at the gym and pedal your way to victory. Sure you’ll lose weight but not nearly as fast as entire body workouts. It's been proven that exercises such as swimming, running, and rock climbing use every single muscle group in the body. For one thing, your entire body is always moving when you do these workouts and that can only mean, your heart rate is constantly being pushed. Even if you take it easy, in order to keep going you have to move all parts of your body. But how do these exercises do this?

Swimming wins the test

Heart rate zone 4 is where you will burn a lot of fat and heart rate zone 5 is where you burn carbs. You want to stay in zone 4 the longest, which is where your body uses fat stores for energy. You occasionally want to be pushed into zone 5 and begin to sap the muscles of their energy but this is only to then push the body to burn fat again. Swimming passes this test because the only way you can stay afloat is to use all parts of your body and hence, your heart rate will always stay in zone 4. Speak with a swimming Coach about how swimming can maintain your heart rate in zone 4. They’ll teach you the basics and tell you how your body can lose fat by swimming. 

Running with proper form

If you don’t run with proper form, some muscle groups in your body won’t be tested, like your traps and shoulders for example. However, if you brace your core, lift your leg using your hip flexors, swing your arms in an up and down motion, not side to side, this should solve the issue. Proper form while running is key, this is how you can burn a lot of fat in a relatively short session. For example, keep your heart rate in zone 4 and you will find that in just 30 minutes, you could burn anywhere from 250-400 calories. 

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Why rock climbing?

Rock climbing is the ultimate calisthenics. You’re pulling your body up vertically with every fiber of your being, testing your core strength. It can feel like an entire whole-body workout even when you haven’t moved much. You're fighting against gravity, trying unique holds, and the only thing preventing you from falling is your muscle tension and tendon toughness. This is why rock climbing is actively being taught to people who want to lose weight, by their personal trainers. 

Keep your heart rate in zone 4. For those of you that don’t know, zone 4 is when you take away your age from 220 and then minus 20. In this range is where your body burns the most fat, so try one of these workout types and see how you feel. Have fun and be strong!