Posted on October 30, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

When I first studied to be a Personal Trainer in Dublin many moons ago I remember studying a method of training called Peripheral Heart Flow (PHF), also known as Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) training and I loved it! I still use it now with my personal training clients as I find it very effective for fat burning.

German Body Composition (GBC) Training, whilst it may sound a bit scary for some people, is also a method of PHA training and I’m going to use this blog to explain why is German Body Composition Training good for fat loss.

For some, German Body Composition Training may sound a little off putting with images of bulking up, but quite the contrary…..it is great for creating a lean, toned physique. As a personal trainer I use this method a lot with my personal training clients who are looking for lean physique.

What Is German Body Composition Training? 

It sounds pretty complicated but it’s quite simple:

*Alternate between an upper body exercise and a lower body exercise in a superset

* Ideally perform compound exercises such as presses, pulls, squats, deadlifts for best results.

* Repeat each superset x 3-4 times, ideally 4 for optimal benefit.

* Exercises are performed for 12-15 reps, you should use a weight where you are hitting maximum between this rep range and really feeling the burn!

* Aim for minimum rest between exercises , with a maximum of 30 seconds rest between exercises – this should be enough to change from exercise to exercise – no going to the water fountain in between!

There is a sample plan at the bottom of this blog! 

Why Is German Body Composition Training Good For Fat Loss? 

* Alternating between upper and lower body exercises means the heart has to shunt blood between the upper body and then the next minute the lower body and keep this ‘shunting’ process going until the 3 sets have been completed.

* This creates a cardiovascular response even though you are resistance training and therefore generates a greater calorie burn than doing straight sets of one exercise.

* The short rest periods and repeatedly working the same muscles creates a build up of lactic acid which the body must flush out of the system, this requires energy which will ensure your metabolism remains elevated post workout and lead to a greater post workout calorie burn.

* The increase in lactic acid also leads to an increase in growth hormone. Elevated levels of growth hormone results in greater fat burning which results in a leaner physique.

The other reason I personally love using German Body Composition training in my own training is that it is very time effective, no faffing around between sets and you’re in an out of the gym in a blink of an eye!

As always, German Body Composition training is only effective if you eat a clean, healthy diet. Throw some High Intensity Interval Training into the mix and you have the recipe for success!

Try this workout the next time you’re in the gym:

1A – Goblet Squats x 12-15; 1B – Bent Over Rows x 12-15 – Repeat x 3

2A – Walking Lunges x 16; 2B – Bench Press x 12-15 -Repeat x 3

3A – Deadlifts x 12-15; 3B – Pull Ups x max – Repeat x 3

4A – Bulgarian Split Squat x 12 each side; 4B – Incline Dumbbell Press x 12-15 – Repeat x 3

Enjoy and let the motive8 North personal training team know how you get on!