What is and how to do metabolic training

7th February 2024

If there’s an industry prone to trends, it’s the fitness industry. Every other week, a new training method or machine emerges and promises to deliver a lean belly or a no-effort six-pack. A regular gym-goer can spot these fads immediately; thankfully, they tend to disappear as quickly as they appear. Yet, they can deceive those just starting.

At EVO, we take fitness-related topics very seriously. We can vouch for every subject brought to this blog, and that’s the case with today’s topic: metabolic training. So, whether it’s the first time you’re reading about this or frowning upon its intricated name, in this article you’ll find out more about this method and why you should include it in your sessions.

What is metabolic training?

Metabolic resistance training, or simply metabolic training, is a workout strategy that maximises your calorie burn during and after your training session. To do so, it uses a combination of high-intensity and moderate-intensity compound exercises (which use more than one muscle group at a time).

They are typically circuit workouts that last around 20 minutes, demanding maximum physical effort for a short but intense period, giving you little time to rest. Yes, it looks a lot like a HIIT workout, with a difference: while many HIIT workouts can be considered metabolic workouts, due to metabolic training’s strengthening nature, not all HITT sessions fall under this umbrella.

Benefits of metabolic training

1 – Builds muscle

Since metabolic training it’s a high-intensity type of workout that uses compound exercises with resistance, you’ll work on several muscles at once and naturally grow muscle mass in your whole body. Combined with its highly effective fat-burning nature, metabolic sessions will help you get a leaner muscle mass and reduce body fat.

2 – Burns calories even when you’re resting

Have you ever heard of EPOC? It stands for post-exercise oxygen consumption; it’s what we usually call “afterburn”. So, how does this work? Even when you’re body is resting, it’s burning calories. Metabolic training raises your metabolic rate during and after your workout — that’s where it got its name — which will help your body burn more calories after you finish your sessions, even if you’re resting.

3 – Getting stronger with a stronger heart

Traditional weight training is good for your heart, but it’s not as challenging to this crucial muscle as much as it is in a metabolic workout. Since you won’t have so many pauses between rounds, your heart will pump hard throughout the session, benefiting your cardiovascular health. No need to split between strength and cardio days anymore!

4 – Efficient and quick full-body workout

Are you struggling to squeeze in a workout in your daily routine? Metabolic training’s got your back. And arms, chest and legs. This training type usually lasts only 20 minutes and uses compound exercises that work more than one muscle at a time, which turns it into an effective and quick full-body workout.

Which exercises should be part of a metabolic workout?

There are several exercises you can include in a metabolic workout, such as:

Example of a metabolic training session

You have 2 groups, with 4 exercises each to complete in 3 rounds before moving on to the second group. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, without resting between them. You’ll get 30 seconds to rest between rounds and 1 minute between groups.