Spot Reduction
Dispelling The Myth.....
Spot reduction is ‘the attempt to remove subcutaneous fat from a given area of the body’ i.e. the triceps, or bingo wings as they are more commonly referred to, by targeting the area and kicking the backside out of it.
Whilst it will strengthen the area being worked it will have negligible impact in terms of ridding the area of unwanted fat. We often hear the term ‘melt the fat and it will turn to muscle’.
Firstly, fat doesn’t ‘melt’. Whilst we will increase lean muscle tissue around the area, it will not magically turn it into muscle. Fat is taken from our fat cells for energy, but unfortunately, not always from the areas we desire.
Plus, the areas we usually target i.e. the triceps (back of the arms), are small in size compared to larger muscles like the trapezius (upper back). This is a great reason why weight lifting, and especially compound movements, will help in the fight to a leaner you.
Secondly, movements that use more than one joint, and in turn, use more muscles are more effective. Focus on larger movements like squats, dead lifts, press ups and pull ups, whilst also combining these with smaller isolated movements like the shoulder press and bicep curl. More bang for your buck, so to speak.
This helps to develop lean muscle tissue in more areas, and influences fat loss more than the myth of ‘spot reduction’. By increasing our overall strength and fitness, you will reduce body fat and the percentage you carry more efficiently than isolating smaller areas of the body.
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