Metabolic circuits burn calories in a short amount of time and work key muscle groups. If you want to combine strength and cardio into one workout, this is a great way to do it.

This is great news for those who don't want to spend hours in the gym, but be prepared for a lot of sweat and hard work.

To do this workout, you'll need a set of the best adjustable dumbbells, a medicine ball, and a jump rope. If you do not have those, I have included substitutions below for those who have limited access to the equipment. [Even though high-intensity metabolic circuits have the potential to increase fat burning, fat loss is not something that can be achieved in a single workout. See how metabolic training can be the secret to calorie burning and fat loss.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a continuous on-off ratio of exercise that is near maximum intensity and heart rate. Metabolic training utilizes aerobic and anaerobic exercise, switching intensity between strength and aerobic exercise, and the timing is fairly gradual.

Also called Metcon (metabolic conditioning), this training type includes circuits, calorie machines, endurance, and high reps. However, it is worth remembering that circuit training, HIIT, and metabolic conditioning are not interchangeable.

The payoff is an improved energy system for different exercise types. It can also increase power, build strength and toned muscles, put the body into calorie-burning mode, and increase metabolism through the "afterburn effect."

If you are not familiar with Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), you know that the body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen after high-intensity exercise. Metabolism is elevated for several hours after exercise, and as balance returns, caloric expenditure is accelerated.

Aside from that, caloric expenditure varies from person to person and depends on factors such as intensity, hormones, and gender. If you want to consistently increase your metabolism, you should train regularly and increase the amount of NEAT (referring to non-exercise movements such as standing up) to increase your chances.

If you try to directly compare a short metabolic conditioning session to steady-state aerobic exercise, you may feel that the latter burns more calories at that point, but metabolic training burns calories long after the weights are set aside. You will continue to burn calories, and your metabolic rate may also increase as weight training increases lean body mass.

In Tom's Guide, all five of these movements are compound exercises because we want to work as many muscle groups as possible. For more information on how to put together a metcon workout, click here.

Perform each exercise for 60 seconds in a row, resting 2-3 minutes after each round, for a total of 3 rounds. For a harder workout, perform 4 rounds for a total of 20 minutes. Rests should be kept to a minimum and at a steady pace to avoid peaking too early. Rests should be limited to transitions only, increasing reps and calories with each round so that the last round is the strongest.

Med ball slams are a staple of training sessions like CrossFit and require core strength. They are also a great way to relax after a tough day. Medballs are not used. The same movement pattern can be done with dumbbells.

Methods:

Jumping rope needs no explanation; most people have tried it to varying degrees. But does jumping rope burn more calories than running? Jumping rope is certainly an exercise that raises the heart rate, but if you prefer to leave the jumping rope to the professionals, try replacing this exercise with a calorie machine or a short 60-second run. [29] [30] Tom's Guide is no stranger to self-weighted push-ups. For the proper way to do push-ups, please also refer to this guide.

Here is how to do lunge and burpees. Holding dumbbells in each hand, perform a lunge with one leg at a time, then transition to burpees from chest to floor while holding the weights. These weights may be substituted with whatever you have on hand.

Dumbbell snatches are not exclusive to CrossFitters. The dumbbell snatch is not exclusive to CrossFitters. Thankfully, before you start snatching, you can refer to a reliable guide on how to properly snatch with different types of weights. Also, there is only so much practice, and one minute per round is plenty of time to get the hang of it.

Alternate one weight at first, and as you get used to it, hold a dumbbell in each hand.

For maximum benefit, do this workout several times a week alongside weightlifting to increase your daily NEAT total. Remember, however, that muscles get stronger through rest and recovery. Take active rest days and include stretching.

If you are new to this style of workout, focus on firming up your form and lifting lighter weights until you are comfortable with each movement. You can also swap exercises at any time if you need more variation in your workout, but try to keep your exercises compound to maximize calorie burn and muscle activation.