Pushups, bench presses, pullovers and dumbbell flys all work the pectoral muscles of the chest. To think that these exercises will melt away your chest fat is an illusion known as spot reduction. Although they will work your muscles and give you a generous lift in resting metabolism, you still need to do cardio. This repetitive form of exercise burns fat throughout your whole body. Running is a form of cardio that can be done in an intense fashion to boost your progress.
Step 1
Stretch before running to prevent injury. Complete a set of dynamic stretches, which move your body through a range of motion repeatedly. Include stretches like alternate toe touches, leg swings, side bends, arm crossovers, lateral lunges and high knees. Dynamic stretches simulate the motions involved with running, and they help reduce the risk of muscle injuries.
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Step 2
Spend five to 10 minutes doing a light warmup. Walk for two minutes, then slowly increase your pace to a light jog and then do a moderate jog. This will get blood flowing to your muscles and further prevent you from suffering an injury.
Step 3
Run as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Keep your body erect with a slight forward lean, pump your arms forcefully and drive hard off the balls of your feet with each stride. By pumping your arms, you will fire up muscle fibers in your chest.
Step 4
Reduce your speed for the recovery phase after your 20 seconds is up. Jog at a slow pace for 40 seconds, then sprint again for 20 seconds. Continue to alternate back and forth for 30 minutes. This type of training not only burns a high amount of calories, it also keeps your metabolism racing for hours after you are done.
Step 5
Finish your workouts with a light cooldown to slowly return your heart rate to a pre-exercise level. Jog moderately for two to three minutes, then jog lightly for one to two minutes and then walk for one to two minutes.
Tip
If you use a treadmill to do your sprints, you have easy access to a timer to monitor your sprint times. If you run outside, wear a wristwatch.
Instead of jogging between your sprints, you also have the option of resting completely. The time you spend sprinting is also adjustable. You do not have to follow the 20- and 40-second examples. Just make sure to do a 1 to 2 ratio of work to recovery. For example, if you sprint for 10 seconds, rest for 20.
Warning
Sprint training is advantageous, but also highly intense. Before you attempt a workout like this, get clearance from your doctor.
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