It seems with every passing day a new fat loss method is unveiled. But there’s very little which is truly new under the sun. And many of these novel fat loss solutions are nothing more than clever packaging–at best–or pure snake oil salesmanship–at worst.
But there are simple tools that have endured for centuries and work as well today as they did generations ago. Thankfully, these ancient tools are resurfacing as people seek simple and elegant solutions for their fitness needs.
The Clubbell stands head and shoulders above the rest of these simple tools for its versatility and its effectiveness. Throughout the ages, the humble club has been a ubiquitous means of self-preservation, warfare, and then later physical conditioning.
For anyone looking to shed fat, as a stand-alone training tool the Clubbell can’t be beat. Optimal fat loss requires several elements that are subject to an order of importance.
Nutrition
The first requirement of fat loss is of course appropriate nutrition. That is beyond the scope of this discussion, but suffice it to say that eating a diet which promotes the maintenance of muscle while dipping into fat stores for energy is a prerequisite. And here’s a hint, anything our prehistoric ancestors used to hunt with their clubs or pull from the ground would probably be a good place to start.
Preserve Muscle
Apart from bringing down game, Clubbells can’t help you with your nutrition. But once you get into the other pieces of the fat loss hierarchy, the Clubbell comes into its own. The most important exercise consideration for fat loss is the preservation of lean mass. This is what will allow you to use freed energy from fat as fuel. If you lose lean mass while dieting, you greatly reduce your chances of success.
There are many Clubbell exercises of a “grinding” nature which are perfect for building or maintaining muscle on a fat loss diet. Good options are the Clubbell Flag Press and the Clubbell Barbarian Squat. A YouTube search will yield results for both these examples. I recommend sets lasting between 45 and 75 seconds for optimal muscle growth potential. Choose four to five exercises which cover your entire body and major movement patterns and do each for 2-3 sets. Perform this workout three times a week.
Stoke the Fat Burning Fires
The next rung down on our fat loss hierarchy will be high intensity energy system work. Some people call this interval training, others metabolic conditioning. The important thing is to perform intervals of high intensity work in the range of 8-10 on a scale of 10 for Rate of Perceived Effort (this concept is from the Circular Strength Training system). Performing such all-out work for periods of between 30 seconds and four minutes, taking rest periods of between 10 & 90 seconds, will stimulate your metabolism into high gear for as much as 72 hours post workout. This type of training can also blunt hunger, which is always a plus when trying to lose fat.
Putting exercises such as the demanding Clubbell Swipe and Clubbell Clockwork Squat into a circuit will help you achieve this high level of intensity. Again, a YouTube search will direct you to demonstrations of both these exercises.
Burn Off Extra Calories
And last on our hierarchy of fat loss training priorities – important only if we are implementing the other two – will be longer, steady state training, sometimes referred to as cardio or aerobic training. A long time ago, I gave up running. Not only is it hard on the body, but can get very tedious after awhile. But I don’t have to give up on cardio. I can get a great session of steady state exercise using my Clubbells.
By doing a single arm exercise, and switching back and forth form one arm to the other at regular intervals, I can keep my heart rate up and my fat burning machines stoked without running up against muscular failure. Good choices for this are the Clubbell Swing and the Clubbel Mill. Again, a YouTube search should bear fruit.
A Tool For the Times
Amazingly, this one simple tool can provide a full spectrum of fat loss benefits. No wonder it has endured the ages. And in these uncertain economic times, versatile tools which can take the place of expensive gym memberships are especially attractive. So if you are looking to drop some fat, the Clubbell just may be the perfect tool for your efforts.