If you’re looking for a quick, efficient and fun workout to keep things tight and right this summer, then I suggest you give metabolic conditioning a try. I’ve been sweating with Focus Integrated Fitness (Focus NYC) trainer Ryan Heffernan lately and all I can say is–I’m obsessed with PT6. This heart-pumping class is metabolic conditioning at it’s finest, so keep reading beauties in order to find out how you too can get in on the fun.
What Is Metabolic Conditioning?
Well I am glad you asked. The short definition goes a little something like this– metabolic conditioning is a form of exercise that involves structural and compound movements performed with little rest in between exercises. So, why would you want to do something like this you ask? Because doing so maximizes your calorie burn and increases your metabolic rate (metabolism) both during and after your workout. So in short, workout harder, for less time and burn more calories overall. Sounds RAD to me!
1. “Leg Day” & “Arm Day” Become “Everyday”
While breaking up your gym time into body specific routines daily (i.e. lower body day and upper body day) has its benefits, I personally however am a big fan of training the body in ways that improve the quality of everyday movement – aka functional training. So therefore including total body compound movements in all of my sweat sessions is always my go to. This way of sweating is a huge trend now yall, which is why I’m totally obsessed with Focus NYC’s signature small group class PT6. Read on…
2. Get Your Fix With PT6
PT6, as it has been appropriately named, is a six station metabolic conditioning class that is based around 6 fundamental movements – upper and lower body pushing and pulling, mobility, stability, rotation, and conditioning. “Once you put those all together…you’ve got one heck of a workout,” says Heffernan. I mean for real, the calorie burn is serious yall. Based on intensity of course, you can easily burn up to 500 calories in 30 minutes. However the greatest benefit is the after burn. Studies show that metabolic conditioning can elicit an increase in your metabolic rate for up to 72 hours. This ladies equates to hundreds of extra calories.
If you are a techie lover like me, then you are going to love PT6’s incorporation of the almighty iPad. Capped at 12 participants, PT6 is the RAD love child of personal training meets group fitness. However if you can’t seem to remember any of the six exercises during the 55 minute workout, then look up on the wall at each station and refresh your memory via a constant scrolling video of the designated exercise. So cool right?!
3. PT6 Fun For All
So while I highly suggest you sweat with my new friend Ryan Heffernan at Focus NYC this summer, I know some of y’all prefer getting your flex on in different cities. Which is why I have some great news: you can try this rockstar circuit based workout in the privacy of your own home (or in your local gym). All you need is a resistance band, a set of dumbbells and a jump rope. So push play and let’s play already girl.
4. Make Metabolic Conditioning Personal
Okay, so now that I have shared some sweat producing gems from my new favorite trainer Ryan with you, it’s also important to know that you can totally make this five exercise circuit personal. By either exploring a conditioning or strength based version this workout can remain challenging despite your fitness level. So first up the conditioning version. For this option Heffernan suggests performing the circuit as a “work density circuit.”
This simply means that you are trying to out-do yourself each time the circuit is performed. For example, “tomorrow at the gym take a timer with you and set it for 8 minutes, then see how many times you can make it through the circuit in those 8 minutes. Make a record of the amount of rounds completed. Then, a few days later, set it up again for 8 minutes and push yourself to complete one more round than you did the last time,” suggests Heffernan. Or you can try the reverse. See how long it takes you to make it through the circuit four times, record your time, then the next time you perform the circuit, try to cut your time down by 20-30 seconds.
Next. Do you want to work on your strength instead? Then for the strength version focus on how heavy you can lift (with good form) as opposed to how long it takes you to complete the circuit. “Being one of the most physically taxing moves you can perform, the Dumbbell Thruster is a great way to find out how strong you really are,” says Heffernan. So up the ante with this exercise by increasing the weight of the dumbbells (only going as heavy as proper form will allow) yet still perform the rest of the circuit. Only this time allow yourself to rest for 1min – 1:30 after each circuit is completed.
