Strength Training for Fat Loss (3 Day)
Large compound movements in circuit form, three sessions a week, with short rests to keep the burn high while protecting the muscle you have.
Routines
Day 1 — Full-Body Strength Circuit
Perform these 6 moves as a circuit. Rest ~45s between exercises. Complete 2–3 rounds.
Day 2 — Lower-Body Emphasis
Focus on legs and glutes with knee-friendly progressions. Rest ~45s between exercises. Complete 2–3 rounds.
Day 3 — Push/Pull/Core
Balanced upper-body push/pull with core finishers. Rest ~45s between exercises. Complete 2–3 rounds.
About this plan
Three sessions a week of bodyweight strength in circuit form, three sets of everything, with short rests to keep the heart rate up.
Day one runs supported squats, push-ups, doorway rows, glute bridges and dead bugs. Day two moves to prisoner squats, split squats, rear lunges, single-leg step-ups, hip bridges and side planks. Day three returns to supported squats, push-ups, doorway rows, forward lunges, bird dogs and core work.
The premise is worth stating because it runs against most weight loss content. The training here is strength-dominant rather than cardio-dominant, using large compound movements in circuits. Large muscles moving through full ranges burn more than small ones do, and — more importantly — resistance training is what signals the body to keep muscle while you are eating less than you burn. Losing weight without that signal means losing some muscle along with the fat, which lowers your metabolic rate and makes the next stage harder.
The doorway row in every session is the pull. Stand in a doorway, grip the frame, lean back and pull your chest toward your hands. Without it, three sessions a week of squats and push-ups builds an imbalance.
Day two is the single-leg day and the hardest of the three. Split squats, rear lunges and step-ups in the same session will make themselves felt the following day.
Rests are short, around thirty to forty-five seconds, which is what makes it a circuit rather than a strength session. Keep them there — the heart rate is part of the design, but the movements should still be done properly.
Train this plan in the app
LoadMuscle carries all 3 routines with a demo for every exercise, and logs your sets as you go, so next session you can see what to beat. Free on iPhone and Android.
Want something built around your own schedule and equipment instead? Try the free workout planner.
