9 Exercises with Weights for Weight Loss. Why weight training is better than cardio?

More and more people are trying to lose weight these days, but not many know how to do it in the most efficient way and what exercises are the best for weight loss. I want to share the best Exercises with Weights for Weight Loss and explain why exercises with weights can be more beneficial for weight loss than a cardio workout.

Why lifting weights can help to lose weight?

Weight lifting can help you to lose weight because during a workout your muscles have to work very hard and to do that they need the energy to perform and be able to lift those heavyweights. When muscles need energy, they are burning calories (excess fat), because calories are fuel for muscles our bodies.

During weight training, you are breaking your muscle fibres and your muscles are rebuilding those fibres stronger and bigger than before. This process of rebuilding muscle requires energy in a form of calories which makes you burn calories up 24 hours after your weight training session.

Remember, that more muscle you’ll have, more calories you’ll burn during your workout with weights. A pound of muscle fibers can burn around 7-13 calories per hour after weight training. That might not seem like a big number, but now imagine if you have 20 pounds of muscle, that gives around 200 calories per hour. Now multiply those 200 calories times 24 and that will give you a total of 4800 calories.

How to train with weights for maximum results?

Lift heavy – Always lift heavy and try to give your muscles as much shock as possible. You have to break those muscle fibers to grow more muscle which would help you to lose more body fat even faster.

Keep intensity – Intensity is the key if you want to get maximum results. Rest no more than 30 – 45 seconds between your sets. However, you need more rest between sets for heavy compound exercises as deadlifts, pull-ups or squats. These exercises engaging most of your muscle groups and you need longer breaks to recover before your next set. You need up to 2 minutes rest between sets for these exercises.

Do supersets – supersets can help you to increase your heart rate and give you muscle a shock which is needed to make them grow. A superset is when you combine two exercises together and performing them one after another without rest.

Do a drop sets – similar to supersets, drop sets can increase your heart rate and give that extra shock to your muscles, which will help you to lose weight and grow muscle mass. A drop set is when you drop your weight to a lighter and repeat your reps for the same exercise without any rest. After doing so you, once again you can drop your weight to a lighter and repeat your reps for the same exercise without rest.

Circuit training – circuit training is a very high-intensity training with weights where you have to do 3 -5 exercises with weights for different muscle groups without rest. Then have a couple of minutes break and repeat the circuit again. Usually, you repeat the circuit three times, but the number of exercises and circuits might vary.

A circuit is great for weight loss because you are engaging your muscles in very high intensity, which makes your heart rate to go up as well. Circuit training is like cardio and weight training combined together which can give you great results.

Why cardio doesn’t work as well as weight lifting for weight loss?

Cardio burns more calories per session than weight training, which is about 300 calories per moderate session. But after a few hours of cardio workout, your body stops burning calories. However, weight training helps you to burn more calories every day. Weight training is the best way to increase your resting metabolism that means that you will be burning calories while resting for 24 hours after your weight training session. Some studies have shown that your body is able to burn calories even up to 36 hours after your weight training session.

That means that in the long run weight training burns more calories and is a better choice for weight loss. Also, doing weight training you will increase your muscle mass and the bigger muscle mass will help you to burn even more calories because more muscles need more energy.

But don’t throw cardio workouts away, because cardio is very good for your cardiovascular health and It is recommended to do a cardio workout at least once a week to keep your lungs and heart-healthy.

Must-do exercises with weights for weight loss.

Dumbbells squat to a shoulder press – it is a great exercise because you are combining many muscle groups together and turning squats into more advanced and intensive exercise. Squats will engage all leg muscles which are the largest muscle group and at the top of the movement, instead of resting, you have will perform a shoulder press engaging your arms, shoulders, and traps.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width and hold dumbbells with palms of your hands facing forward, elbows at 90 degrees at shoulder height, arms facing up.
• Your knees should be slightly bent and your toes turned away from each other slightly.
• Keep your head in a natural position, your abs tight and back straight.
• Slowly start squatting down controlling the weight and keeping your back straight as you would as if you were going to sit in the chair keeping dumbbells at the same position.
• Squat as low as you can, ideally at least where your tights come parallel to the floor or lower.
• Slowly stand up to a starting position.
• Once at the starting position push the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended, but not locked at the elbows and your dumbbells at the same line as your shoulders.
• Stop for a second, squeeze your shoulders and lower dumbbells back in the starting position.
• Repeat the sequence.

Barbell lunges – this is a great exercise for weight loss because it hits all parts of leg muscles, you have to engage your lower back and core to keep your body stable as well.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width and hold a bar across your upper back, palms facing forward.
• Step forward with one foot and bend both knees to lower your torso toward the floor.
• Make sure that your front knee doesn’t pass your toes at the bottommost position, keep your back straight and do not lean forward.
• Go as low as your rear knee nearly touches the floor and stop for a second.
• Drive through the heel of your front foot while bringing your rear leg forward until you return to a standing position.
• Then do the same with the opposite leg and keep repeating this pattern.
• Repeat the sequence.

Deadlift – is one of the best exercises for weight loss, because doing deadlifts all your muscles are engaged which requires a lot of energy. Doing deadlifts your body burns a great number of calories.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Load a barbell and roll it against your shins.
• Bend at your knees and hips.
• Grab the bar with palms facing your body and your hands just beyond shoulder width.
• Keeping your lower back naturally arched and rest of the back straight, pull your torso up and thrust your hips forward as you stand up with the barbell.

Burpees – The burpee is a full-body exercise, working for most major muscle groups while also improving your cardiovascular fitness and testing your balance and coordination. It is a great exercise for weight loss and if you could choose only one exercise, burpee would be an exercise you would have to consider.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• From a standing position, drop into a squat with your hands on the ground just in front of your feet.
• Then kick your feet back behind you, keeping your arms extended so you are in a raised plank position.
• At this stage, if you are able to do it, do a push-up and jump back to a standing position.
• Repeat the sequence.

Clean and Press – is strength and power exercise which adds extra calories burn to your workout, because it targets no fewer than eight different muscle groups. The lower half of the movement strengthens your hips, glutes, and hamstrings, while the upper half of the movement targets your shoulders, chest, back, and arms and core.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Start with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell not far from your shins. Push your hips back and grab the barbell so your palms are facing your body and your hands are shoulder-width apart. Keep your hips down, chest lifted, eyes forward and arms long.
• Keep your core very tight and drive through your heels to pull the bar quickly up to your chest, just in front of your collarbone. Keep your spine tall. Be explosive and fast in your movement as you pull the bar, keeping it as close to your body as you can.
• As soon as the bar reaches your chest, drive through your heels again and press the directly overhead and straighten your arms and legs. Keep your core very tight. Return to starting position with control.

Pull-ups – is one more great exercise for weight loss, because it works all your upper body. Back is the second largest muscle group in your body and you have to use lots of energy while working out your back.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Hang on a pull-up bar with wide or neutral grip with your legs slightly bend back
• Grab the dumbbell with your feet and slightly bend your legs back, so they are not touching the ground. (You can use a special belt with chain and attach weight to it).
• Pull yourself up using your back and arm muscles until your chin is at the same level as the bar. Keep your back straight, do not lean your body or legs in front of you.
• Stop for a second at the top and squeeze your back muscles.
• Controlling your weight slowly lover your body down at the starting point.

Battle ropes – is great cardio exercise combined with strength. This exercise is very intensive and engages lots of muscle groups. Cardio + strength training is a great combination for weight loss.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Hold the ends of the rope at arm’s length in front of your hips with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core and begin alternately raising and lowering each arm explosively.
• Keep alternating arms for three to four sets of 1 to 2 minutes.
• Instead of making waves, slam the rope to the ground.

Bent over rows – great for weight loss, bent over rows engage all your upper body, arms, lower back, and core, it is very intensive exercise, which can help you to burn a lot of calories and add muscle mass.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Grab the barbell with palms facing you (you can use both overhand and underhand grips).
• Hold your hands about shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your hips and knees and lower your torso until it’s around 30 degrees to the floor (if your torso is more parallel to the floor, it is harder to execute the exercise).
• Keep your lower back naturally arched and rest of the back straight (do not bend your back as it can cause an injury).
• Pull the bar to your lower abs and squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other.
• Pause at the top, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position controlling the negative.

Barbell bench press – is a great exercise because it works your chest, arms, and shoulders. Working out multiple muscle groups always great for weight loss and muscle gain.

How to execute this exercise correctly

• Lay down on a flat bench with your back flat against the bench and your feet flat on the floor giving you a strong base and support.
• Take the bar with a slightly wider grip as shoulder width. Your eyes should be at the same level as barbell and your palms facing in front of you.
• Carefully lift the bar off, don’t rush to start, arch your lower back a little and push your chest up and shoulders back.
• Slowly (controlling your negative) lower bar down just above your upper chest and touch it with the bar.
• Pause for a moment and exhaling air push your barbell back to a starting position.
• Repeat the sequence.

Eat healthily

Last but, not least, actually most important, is to eat healthy and well-balanced food. If you always eat junk food and don’t get all the nutrients you need for weight loss, just training might not help to lose weight. To learn everything you need to know about healthy diet read my article Importance of a Balanced Diet.

Key Facts

• Weight lifting can help you to lose weight because during a workout your muscles have to work really hard and use your calories (body fat) as fuel.
• Cardio burns more calories per session, which is about 300 calories per moderate session. But after a few hours of cardio workout, your body stops burning calories.
• Weight training is the best way to increase your resting metabolism that means, that you will be burning calories while resting for 24 hours after your weight training session.
• Best weight training exercises are Barbell bench press, bent over rows, battle ropes, pull-ups, clean and press, burpees, deadlifts, lunges, squats to a shoulder press.
• Most important for weight loss is a healthy and balanced diet.

I hope that you enjoyed my post and learn a lot about weight training benefits over cardio workout. Also, I hope that you will try the best exercises with weights for weight loss which I have listed in my post and will start seeing the benefits of these exercises yourselves.

Don’t forget that losing weight requires consistency and hard work, don’t expect to lose weight overnight. Work hard, be consistent, eat healthy and balanced food and you will see results very soon.

As always, if you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I will be more than happy to help you out.

All the best,

Marius Mickevicius

Founder of ihealthylifestyle

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