Metabolic resistance training combines cardio and strength training into a short on time, calorie-torching, strength building workout.

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One of the most flawed concepts is that of in-person personal training where they push you to buy packages and training sessions by the hour.

Why is this flawed? Parkinson’s Law is baked right into the entire premise of this approach.

“Work expands to fill the amount of time allotted.”

In other words, those big box gyms where the trainer is pushing you to sign up for an hour of one-on-one coaching will lead to that trainer filling up that entire hour.

Which means some of that hour is going to be just that, filler.

It might not be the most efficient use of your time.

And when you’ve got kids and a full-time job and other life responsibilities, time is a limited resource.

I treat time like it is a commodity. Why? Because I can make back money, I can not earn back time.

And hour-long workouts or training sessions can be a waste of time for some people. Myself included.

The workouts I design for both myself and my online coaching clients run at 35-40 minutes at most. I understand that time is important, valuable and irreplaceable.

My workout programming is based on efficiency, intensity and in some cases density. Maximizing the limited amount of time that we have and getting the most out of your training session is the entire point.

Today, we’re going to talk about how to lift weights a little faster so that you can see some better results and then get on with your day utilizing metabolic resistance training. We’ll go over:

• What is metabolic resistance training
• How to use metabolic resistance training to improve your workout programming
• The benefits of metabolic resistance training
• Three metabolic resistance training workouts you can try today

Let’s get into it.

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How long should my workout last?

More does not always equal better. Especially when it comes to your training.

I’d wager that you’d likely see improved results if you took stock of your current workout programming and cut the time in half. 

What? But how are you going to torch away fat so you can drop those final five or 10 pounds, you ask?

Great question.

It all comes down to a calorie deficit. And that calorie deficit should be powered by your nutrition. Your workouts do not burn the amount of calories that you think. And in actuality, workouts do not burn fat.

Any coach that tells you their workouts are fat shredding routines are not telling the entire truth. Workouts burn calories. Burned calories can assist the calorie deficit. But, workouts do not actually burn fat. 

This does not mean you should stop working out altogether. In fact, getting stronger boosts metabolism so you can burn even more calories at rest whilst sitting on the couch and binge watching The Boys.

When you do train, just know that you don’t have to be pounding away at your body for hours and hours every single week. Which is why a more efficient approach could be just the answer for you. 

Maximizing workout efficiency and intensity despite limited time in my day as a parent

Between all of the important things in life: catching up on Succession, getting the chili ready for the second-half kickoff, answering a few of those emails from work … and yeah, I guess I’ll toss in the diaper changes, too––parents are busy people.

Once the little one decides to make that grand entrance and the journey of parenthood begins, our most important, precious and limited resource is time. Our whole concept of time is flipped over on its ugly head. Hell, I’ll still try to find a way to finally watch a 60-minute episode of Schitt’s Creek in less than two hours. It’s a struggle.

And then you’re reading the knowledge bombs from your friendly neighborhood fat loss coach (that’s me) about why you should probably have a modicum of health and fitness in addition to just trying to get through the day-to-day rigors of life as a mom or da?

Yeah, I know your response is something like, “Fuck outta here.”

But like I mentioned in my article titled “5 Core Values that will change your life for the better,” it’s up to you to take control of your own health and fitness.

Of course the problem with this philosophy is that pesky concept of time. No one has any. Especially not busy, working moms and dads trying to level up to Jedi Master status of awesome. 

But if we can apply a method of training that focuses on efficiency––think quality over quantity––we can still have our cake and eat it, too. 

Bad analogy. 

Don’t eat the cake. Have a protein shake instead … that’s way more brosome.

But, what if you took an hour long workout and condensed it to just 35-40 minutes? You’d be doing just as much work in about 60% of the time. That’s incredibly efficient. 

It’s also a lot more intense.

That’s the basis for programming around what we call metabolic resistance training.

What is metabolic resistance training (or MRT)?

MRT kind of a catch-all for a few methodologies that include supersets, circuits and/or density training. It’s typically all about lifting weights faster (with good form) and emphasizes challenging yourself to lift as heavy as possible throughout that routine. 

The basics of popular workout regimes like P90X and CrossFit are rooted in MRT principles. And both still abide by the overarching pillar of maximum fitness efficacy:

Progressive overload rules still apply.

As a result of the fast-paced nature of the MRT setup, there’s aerobic and anaerobic work being done. This just means that weight lifting sessions have a bit of cardio baked into the routine, too. 

So, rather than crank out a 45 minute lifting routine followed by a 15 to 20 minute sprint session on the treadmill, you’d be getting the benefit of both worlds with one brutal MRT workout.

It’s important to emphasize again that progressive overload still applies here.

So while you might feel like you are getting stronger by lifting the pink and blue dumbbells during your OrangeTheory class. In reality, you’re just becoming more efficient at lifting lighter weights in a more cardio-focused routine.

This is still more about getting stronger and less about pumping out a max number of reps for the sake of crushing your body.

Get more done in less time with Metabolic Resistance Training

MRT is a principal that takes advantage of compound movements with little to no rest in between the exercises. The short rest periods maximize calorie burn and boost metabolic rate, both during and after the workout. 

This period of recovery is just enough to allow for as close to maximum performance in that next period of intense work. And that is what we should all be aiming for: maximum performance.

So basically Metabolic Resistance Training is like this glorious recipe that combines the holy grail of fitness into an effective muscle-building, calorie-shredding sandwich.

We do this through a variety of ways that challenges the body through a combination of compound movements to work the entire body. 

Sure, you can burn a few hundred calories by performing 45 minutes of long, slow, boring cardio on the treadmill or the stair-master or whatever, but the key to long-term and effective fat burning lies in a more efficient approach that sufficiently taxes your muscles.

A 2007 study by the University of New South Wales in Australia found that interval training has been linked to an increase of adrenaline (or epinephrine as it is referred to in the science world). 

Without getting all sciency and stuff, one of the factors that adrenaline brings to the table is the breaking down of fat stores and burning of fat. Another added benefit is that adrenaline can help reduce appetite.

Sounds like a win-win to me. Especially when you’re dieting and hunger cues are all over the place.

This type of training has also been widely considered as a boost to calorie burning throughout the remainder of the day. In other words, a 20-minute MRT session may only burn 300 calories on the surface, but it keeps the body in a fat-burning state through the rest of the day, whereas steady-state cardio does not. That’s an additional 23 hours of fat burning potential that we are now tapping into here.

This is called Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), some call it Afterburn.

MRT-style programming is designed to capitalize on the Afterburn effect by building some muscle, burning more calories and then maximizing the marriage of both to lead to real results in less time than it takes to jog on the treadmill.

Metabolic Resistance Training for Fat Loss OR Muscle Gain?

I’m going to get into trouble for this.

A lot of coaches will preach that in order to maximize fat burning, you should do the same style of workouts that you would for muscle gaining.

In other words, the only variable that should change despite your physique goal should be your calories. Establish the calorie deficit, crush the protein and lift as heavy as possible to see the fat melt away. Inversely, you’d increase calories, crush the protein and lift as heavy as possible to get on board the gainz trainz.

I don’t disagree. 

But I do think you can be slightly more efficient in your fat loss programming. 

Additionally: remember the point from above about fat-burning workouts … they really aren’t a thing. But, MRT-style workouts can benefit the fat loss process a little more than the traditional training methodologies.

When fat loss is the goal, I’m a staunch proponent of making sure everything is optimized for fat burning. Obviously the rule of calorie deficits applies here. But, I do have a few things that I like to include in my training programming, namely a little more emphasis on MRT-style workouts.

Again, to be clear: the progressive overload principle still applies. Forever and always.

But, rather than always cranking out heavy sets with longer rest periods, I like to shorten things up and mix it up for more neurological stimulation. That’s why I usually program at least one or two metabolic sessions for my clients per week.

Likewise, eating in a surplus with the intent to grow muscle does have the natural side effect of putting on the occasional extra pound or two of fat. It’s just part of the process.

Which is why sprinkling in a few MRT sessions strategically can help add some extra calorie burn to mitigate that added poundage (along with a more moderate calorie surplus).

Additional Characteristics of Metabolic Resistance Training

• More exercise variety increases neurological inefficiency and burns more calories
• Focus on getting as much work done as possible in the same time or less (training density)
• Elevate heart rate, maximize calorie burn, & increase whole body circulation
• Total body workouts
• Shorter rest periods
• Alternating sets of non-competitive exercises that work different muscle groups
• Shorter 30-minute training sessions
• Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon)
• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Get started with Metabolic Resistance Training with three workouts

To maximize time, space and provide most peeps with a chance to just get back in shape from home, we’re going to focus on training with dumbbells.

Why dumbbells?

Look, not everyone has the benefit of a full-blown home gym fresh with barbells and benches and power racks. If we all did have that option, we wouldn’t need a gym membership to begin with.

The following workouts are designed to get you back in shape, or keep you looking your sexy self, without stepping foot in the gym. To do this, we need to make best with the resources we have. Our garage. Our living room. Our extra bedroom. Hell, grab a pair of dumbbells and knock out some lunges in the bathroom.

A good set of adjustable dumbbells or power blocks are the perfect companion to this program. They allow for progression and are light on space without having to set up an entire rack of weights.

For our friends used to working exclusively with barbells, the different stresses that the dumbbells present will likely provide a nice little shock to the system.

I’m not saying dumbbells are superior to barbells by any means here. In fact, any comprehensive training regimen should include a variation of barbell movements, dumbbell movements, bodyweight-only exercises and even kettlebell techniques. 

But for the purposes of our 1-2 month hiatus to avoid the influx of noobs at our gym, these dumbbell workouts will do just fine.

Dumbbell training is great for:

Better range of motion – Dumbbells will allow you to really play around with some of your favorite movements and stress your muscles at all sort of new and lovely angles. Look no further than an incline bicep curl. It’s impossible to perform this move with a barbell.

Beginners who are just getting starting lifting and are learning the bigger lifts – for instance, instead of starting off on a barbell front squat, the early lifters may want to use progressions to get to that point, which starts with the dumbbell goblet squat.

Spotting yourself – Trying to lift a little too much on those dumbbell incline presses? Simply drop the weights to your sides if you are struggling and don’t have a spotter. Trying to lift too much on that barbell incline press without a spotter? Good luck.

Change in stress – Put everything together and we get new stress to the system. New stressors to the system make for sexy muscles. Sexy muscles make for a happy trainee.

Try this Full-Body Workout on for size next time you feel like pumping some iron, but don’t have a whole lot of time:

The Dumbbell Full-Body Workout

1) DB Deadlift – 6-8 reps
– Rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 times for 4 total sets

2A) DB Push Press – 12 reps
– No rest
2B) DB Bulgarian Split Squat – 8 reps / side
– Rest 60 seconds and repeat 2 times for 3 total sets

3A) DB Step Up – 10 reps/side
– No rest
3B) Decline Pushup – AMRAP
– Rest 60 seconds and repeat 2 times for 3 total sets

4A) Lunge Jump – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
4B) Mountain Climber – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
4C) Jumping Jack – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
4A) Total Body Extension – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds and repeat 2 times for 3 total circuits

A few notes:
Some of these workouts are based on Supersets. Supersets are pairs of exercises (i.e. 1A & 1B). In each superset, you’ll do exercise A followed by exercise B. Then you will rest up to 1 minute before repeating the superset 1-2 more times. Rest 60 seconds (1 minute) between each superset.

Taking it to the next level

In addition to the dumbbell workouts, we introduce the workout that will blast fat and create a pump like none other: The Dumbbell Complex.

You’ll grab two dumbbells, perform a handpicked series of compound movements strung together as one continuous set, without putting down the weights. There is no resting between the exercises as they all flow together nicely to create that huge afterburner effect we are looking for.

The benefits include:

• improved cardio capacity … without actually doing cardio;
• increased muscular endurance;
• significant calorie burn;
• a butt-kicking workout in a short amount of time, the DB Complex takes only 20 minutes or so to complete and will have you feeling like you worked out twice as long.

The Dumbbell Complex

Perform the following complex of five (5) reps for each movement without resting the weights. You will flow from exercise to exercise without rest. After completing the first round, break for as long as needed, but perform as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes. Select a load that’s challenging, but one that makes it possible to complete the complex.

1) DB Romanian Deadlift – 5 reps
– No rest
2) DB Bent-over Row – 5 reps
– No rest
3) DB Clean – 5 reps
– No rest
4) DB Front Squat – 5 reps
– No rest
5) DB Push Press – 5 reps
– Rest as needed before repeating the circuit as many times as possible in 20 minutes

No Equipment? No problem.

The beauty of the following program is the movements require only one piece of equipment: Your own bodyweight.

“Yeah, but, bro … I mean … I just don’t think I’ll really feel the burn from bodyweight-only movements like you can with weights?”

Wrong.

Try performing 20 seconds of bodyweight squats and then immediately hold the bottom position of a squat for 10 seconds. Do this for four minutes without rest, then come talk to me later about how your legs feel like Gumby.

The bodyweight workouts in this program are designed under the same metabolic resistance training principle. You’ll just be performing these MRT sessions without added weight. But, that’s okay.

Bodyweight movements provide enough stimulus to get your muscles pumping, blood flowing and fat shredding away.

The No Equipment Needed Full-Body Workout

Perform the following circuit of ten (10) exercises for 30 seconds each movement. Rest 15 seconds between before advancing to the next exercise. After completing the first round, break for 75 seconds (1 minute and 15 seconds) before repeating the entire circuit 1-2 more times for 3-4 total rounds.

1) Push Up – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
2) Prisoner Squat – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
3) Cross-Body Mountain Climber – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
4) Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift – 30 seconds (switch sides at 15 seconds)
– Rest 15 seconds
5) Walkout to Pushup – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
6) Prisoner Squat Hold & Lateral Walk – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
7) Plank to Elbow Row – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
8) One-leg Hip Extension – 30 seconds (switch sides at 15 seconds)
– Rest 15 seconds
9) Seal Jack – 30 seconds
– Rest 15 seconds
10) Jump Squat – 30 seconds
– Rest 75 seconds (1 minute and 15 seconds) & repeat the circuit 1-2 times for 3-4 total rounds

Three routines all designed to work the entire body through the duration of the session. Yes, that means the core and the legs and the chest and the arms and the back.

All of it gets worked in each of the three training routines.

Let me help you figure out how to make metabolic resistance training work for you … 

Finding the right time and right workout plan can be incredibly overwhelming. But, I’m here to help you out.

If you have any questions, reach out. I answer all of my emails at pete [at] petecataldo [.] com … Hit me up with the subject line “Metabolic Resistance Training” and I’ll answer any questions you have about training.

Or you can hit me up anytime on the socialz on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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