Referring back to my first paragraph, many of you are probably wondering why this GPP stuff is better than jogging/running. I will tell you exactly why. It is a proven fact that anaerobic work (i.e., work that raises your heart rate significantly) carries much greater benefit in fat loss than does steady-state aerobic work. This is a result of several factors but mainly what is called post-exercise energy expenditure, the amount of calories burned after work is done. Couple that with the fact that it takes less time to perform a GPP session, and you have one powerful fat-burning machine.



There are many types of GPP, but this month I will focus on non-weight callisthenic type of exercise performed in timed intervals. This type of GPP is not for the weak of heart. Even though the exercises may seem silly or menial you will realize that you have performed a significant amount of work at the completion of a session. The key is to go all out performing the exercise. Lollygagging through each set is not going to get the results you want. Shown below are three different phases of GPP along with a progression protocol that will help you adapt to each stage and progress to the next stage.

Beginner Exercises

1. Jumping Jacks

2. Shuffle Splits -This exercise is performed by shuffling your feet back and for with while maintain contact with the floor with only the balls of your feet - similar to the movement that you will see boxer perform in the ring

3. Mountain Climbers - this exercise is performed by starting with you body in the push-up position and then alternately driving your knee toward your shoulder - imagine climbing up a very steep hill or mountain on "all fours"

4. Slalom (side to side) jumping - this exercise is performed by starting in the standing position and jumping laterally over an object (a piece of tape or crack in the floor will be sufficient), you want to be sure to keep all your weight on the balls of your feet, as well as keep ankles and knees together - imagine down hill skiing moguls

Intermediate Exercises

1. Jumping Jacks

2. Shuffle Splits

3. Squat Jump - this exercise is performed by starting in the standing position, with hands on hips, performing a normal squat - down to parallel (where thighs form a parallel line to the floor), once you have reached the bottom of the movement, explosively accelerate you body out of the bottom of the movement so that your feet leave the ground (i.e. jumping) and forcefully extending arms over head at the same time. Try to land "softly" on the balls of you feet.

4. Slalom (side to side) jumping

Advanced Exercises:

1. Jumping Jacks

2. Shuffle Splits

3. Squat Jumps

4. Squat Thrust to Star Jump - this exercise is started from the standing position, followed by squatting down so that you are sitting on your haunches and your hands are flat on the floor, from this position you will forcefully extend you legs behind your body so that you are now in a push-up position, then reverse this sequence, once back to the "squatting" position you will forcefully accelerate you body into a jump, extending arms over away from head and spreading legs - imagine old Toyota commercials

Perform each exercise for 30 continuous seconds.

Progression Table:

Session Work Interval Rest Interval Work Cycles

1 30 sec per drill 2 minutes 4

2 30 sec per drill 2 minutes 4

3 30 sec per drill 1:30 minutes 4

4 30 sec per drill 1:30 minutes 4

5 30 sec per drill 1 minutes 4

6 30 sec per drill 1 minutes 4

7 30 sec per drill 30 sec 4

8 30 sec per drill 30 sec 4

Let's put this all together. Depending on your current fitness level, start with the beginner, intermediate, or advanced program. You will perform each exercise for 30 continuous seconds and complete all four exercises in a work cycle. Once you have completed a work cycle, begin the appropriate rest interval. Alternate work cycles with rest intervals until you have completed four work cycles. All told, the longest that this program should ever take to complete is fourteen minutes. Not too bad for a workout that will kick start your fat-burning furnace, prepare you for any physical labor, and save you time. In my book that's a win, win, win situation. So give GPP a try. You will be pleasantly surprised by its ability to Get Phat Off Phast!

Copyright (c) 2008 Anderson Training Systems