Body Blog: The Ultimate Pre-Spring Break Fat Burner

So Spring Break is coming. That means it’s time to strip off all those layers and see what your body’s been up to during this long, brutal winter. Not happy with what you see? Welcome to the club. But what the hell are you supposed to do about the extra flub on your midsection when your flight to Panama City takes off in just 10 days?!

By Maddie

There may be a way….

According to Women’s Health magazine, it’s possible to burn 400 calories in 15 minutes. Now, if you’re a regular gym-attendee like me, and have spent 30 minutes on the treadmill only to burn 300 calories, this may seem simply impossible. According to WH columnist and physiologist Amy Dixon, however, it’s all about a special workout called the superset, in which you complete two fitness moves back to back without resting.

Not only do supersets cause a serious metabolic spike, they’ll cause you to continue burning fat and calories at a higher rate for up to 16 hours after your workout is over, according to researchers at Colorado State University. All you have to do is complete these exercises twice a week using weights that make it almost impossible for you to finish your last rep.

Here are three of Dixon’s moves. Visit Women’s Health to see all six moves with accompanying pictures. Bye, bye belly flab, hello Miami sun!

Dixon’s first move is called the Leapfrog, and all you need is an exercise step. Start with your feet planted on the ground, jump up onto the step and bend your knees as you land, and then jump back onto the ground (lowering your heels first and your toes second). Continue for sixty seconds.

The second move is called the “Bosu Burpie Pushup,” and all you need is a bosu ball—a blow up exercise ball with a hard, flat bottom (your campus gym should have these!). Place the ball upside down, so that the dome is on the floor and you’re holding onto the base. With your hands on the base, jump back into the plank position, suck in your stomach, and lower into a push up. Then jump back up. Do this 12 to 15 times.

The third move is called the “Power Knee Tap and Touch.” To start, stand to the right of your exercise step. Swinging your left arm to help propel your body, jump onto the step with your left food, and bring your right thigh to hip height. When you land, with both feet touching the floor, immediately lower your left leg into a lunge. Stand up and repeat for thirty seconds before repeating the entire movement with your other leg.

Incorporate this superset workout into your weekly routine and you’ll see results fast. And if you don’t quite get those 6-pack abs you were hoping for before Spring Break (Amy Dixon isn’t God, you know!), you’ll definitely see them come summer.