When you lead a busy lifestyle, the idea of trying to fit in long, hard training sessions on top of everything else seems impossible.

Juggling an already packed schedule while maintaining a consistent level of training can be hard. And fat-burning exercises are notoriously based around long runs, lengthy walks and extensive cardio sessions.

But there is a way you can burn fat without straining your calendar to the point that it’s bursting at the seams.

Busy people need simple and effective solutions. That’s why we’ve put together our top 10 fat-burning exercises using just a Bumper Plate.

And by keeping the equipment and complexity to a minimum, training after a long day at work is a lot more approachable than several hours spent at the gym or running around in the dark.

Research has shown us that resistance training is much more efficient when it comes to getting the most out of your workout. Not just in terms of building muscle but for losing weight too.

WHY RESISTANCE TRAINING IS BEST

Although cardio is great for burning calories, many cardio-based workouts such as long-distance running can also burn muscle. And there aren’t many of us who want to melt away our hard work at the gym.

By using resistance training as your core approach – supplemented by cardio training to keep your heart healthy – you can:

• Increase your resting metabolic rate – muscles require more energy to maintain than fat. So, by increasing your muscle mass, you can carry on burning fat – even when you’re not in the gym.

• Make your workout more efficient – by doing compound exercises, you can hit several different muscles at the same time. This will help you build muscle mass as you’re more likely to stimulate muscle growth hormones this way.

• Burn calories by working larger muscles – the larger muscles need more energy to move so by targeting your glutes, quads, abs, chest and back, you can burn calories as you lift.

• Improve your upper body strength – runners benefit from working their legs, but their upper body can suffer if not given enough attention, which can lead to poor posture and back problems. By strength training, you can have more control over what and how you train.

• Improved mobility – resistance training is not just about improving the size and quality of your muscles. It’s also about improving your functional fitness levels. This includes working your balance, stability and your joints.

• Reduce your risk of injury – stronger muscles are better at supporting your joints so you’re less likely to injure yourself. Weaker muscles that get over-worked from excessive running or cycling are much more prone to injury and can hinder your training if not looked after.

• There’s more variety – when you train day-in, day-out, it’s easy to feel less motivated. Especially if you’re always doing the same things. However, with strength training, there is a lot more variety, so you can keep mixing it up to maintain your progression.

• Being stronger helps you prepare for the future – as we get older, our bodies are at more risk of injury. By building muscle, you are not only better equipped to deal with the pressures of daily life, you’re also future-proofing your body.

FAT-BURNING EXERCISES USING JUST A WEIGHT PLATE

1 - RUSSIAN TWISTS

How to do them: Sit up on a gym mat with your back straight and knees bent. Lift the bumper plate up so it’s close to your chest and raise your feet off the floor. Without letting the weight plate touch the floor, move it to one side of your body and then the other, while keeping your feet facing forward. Repeat as many times as you can.

Why do them: Russian twists are great for strengthening your core, including your lower abs and obliques. And using a bumper plate increases the difficulty as it’s larger than a kettlebell or medicine ball so you have to the movement is more emphasised.

2 - WEIGHTED WALL SIT

How to do them: Find a clear, smooth bit of wall and press your back flat up against it. While holding your bumper plate, lower yourself down so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push your back into the wall and place the bumper plate on top of your legs. Hold for as long as you can.

Why do them: Wall sits target your quads and your hamstrings, making them an effective compound exercise. The bumper plate is particularly ideal for these, as you can lay it across your lap so that the weight is distributed evenly, as well as placed directly over the areas you want to work. This type of isometric training where you hold a position is fantastic for building strength too.

3 - SQUAT WITH SHOULDER PRESS

How to do them: Hold the weight plate close to your chest. With your feet slightly wider than hip width apart and your toes pointing outwards, squat down pushing your weight back with your thighs as close to parallel to the floor as you can. Push back up and press the weight above your head and back down. Repeat as many times as you can.

Why do them: Squats are great for targeting several muscles at the same time making them ideal for building muscle and burning fat. The extra press means you can work your upper body and lower body at the same time.

4 - BENT OVER ROW

How to do them: Place your feet hip width apart and bend your knees slightly. Keeping your spine straight and chest lifted, bend forward slightly so that your torso is at a 90-degree angle to your legs. Lower the weight plate down and – keeping your elbows tucked in – bring it back up towards your chest, squeezing your back muscles as you go. Repeat as many times as you can without losing your form.

Why do them: When it comes to building strength, it’s important to ensure balance across your body. You need to work your back just as much as your chest, especially for posture. Bent over rows will really help with this.

5 - LUNGE AND TWIST

How to do them: Keeping your upper body straight, hold the bumper plate close to your chest. Lunge forward remembering to engage your core and drop your back knee directly in-line with your body. While in the lunge position, twist your upper body moving the weight round to the same side as your back leg. Repeat with the other side and keep going for as long as you can. You can also move the weight away from your body as you twist to make it harder.

Why do them: This exercise targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, core and arms making it great for fat-burning as well as strengthening.

6 - DEAD BUG WITH LEG RAISES

How to do them: Lie back on a gym mat and with straight arms, raise the bumper plate so it’s directly above you. Bring your legs straight up so with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Lower either one leg or both legs at the same time towards the floor. Make sure you keep your lower back pressed flat and don’t let your feet touch the floor. Repeat as many times as you can.

Why do them: These are great for targeting your lower abs as well as your hip flexors which can be tricky to isolate.

7 - HIP BRIDGE WITH OVERHEAD PRESS

How to do them: Lie on the floor and bring your knees up so that your feet are hip width apart. Raise your hips up into a hip bridge and tense your glutes and hamstrings. Hold this position while you raise the bumper plate over your head and then back towards your hips. Keep your arms straight. Repeat as many times as you can without breaking your posture.

Why do them: Hamstrings are notoriously difficult to target so these are great for helping you to build strength down your posterior chain. This will help you with things like squats and hill sprints.

8 - CURL, PRESS AND EXTEND

How to do them: Stand with your feet hip width apart while holding the bumper plate down in front of you. Curl the bumper plate up like a bicep curl, then push up into a shoulder press, do a tricep extension back behind your head, then reverse. Repeat as many times as you can.

Why do them: These are really effective for working all your arm muscles at the same time. The bumper plate also helps to simplify this exercise, as you don’t need to worry about changing your wrist positioning.

9 - FIGURE OF EIGHT

How to do them: Stand with your feet hip width apart and hold the weight directly out in front of you. Keeping your arms straight, move the weight around in a sideways figure of eight movement. Repeat in the opposite direction for an equal amount remembering to move in a slow, controlled manner while keeping your chest lifted.

Why do them: These are a real killer and great for targeting your chest and arms. The bumper plate also helps as it keeps your arms a set distance apart – ideal for consistency of form.

10 - CHEST PRESS

How to do them: Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Holding the weight just above your chest, push the bumper plate upwards and slightly back so that your arms are straight above your head when you complete the movement. Bring back down in a controlled manner, remembering to keep your elbows at around a 45-degree angle to your body. Repeat.

Why do them: These are great for working your chest and you don’t need lots of equipment to do them. And by using a bumper plate, you not only keep your arms at a controlled distance from each other, but you have your wrists turned inwards which reduces pressure on your joints.

You may want to change the size of bumper plate depending on which exercises you’re doing, so that you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your training.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars & Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength ; Misc > Workout