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Fat Loss Circuit Training...Killer Workout Done With Just An Empty Bar!

3,648 views · Published 30 May 2014 · 15:22 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: Nick Nilsson - the Mad Scientist of Muscle · 2014 · Sports

Fat Loss Circuit Training is a very effective and incredibly time-efficient fat-loss workout strategy. Basically, you do a weight training workout, but instead of taking rest in between sets, you do a short interval of moderate-intensity cardio training.

It sounds easy...but in practice, it's EXTREMELY challenging. You literally get NO rest for an entire 25-30 minute workout. You're moving and working the whole time, constantly switching between the various energy systems of the body without recovery.

In terms of fat loss, I've found it to be one of THE single best ways to increase metabolic rate and burn calories long after the training is done. You get all the benefits of a resistance workout and all the benefits of an interval training workout, all wrapped up into a time-efficient, hyper-effective package.

Use this training style and you WILL burn fat. That's a promise.

How to Do Empty Bar Fat-Loss Circuit Training

First, a little background. I'm known as the Mad Scientist of Muscle for a reason...I'm insanely creative in the gym and it's all based on scientific principles.

Sometimes I purposefully limit myself to only one or two pieces of equipment to do a full workout with...and for this workout, I purposefully limited myself to just using an empty 45 lb Olympic bar, just to see what I could come up with.

And the results were impressive!

In the video I'll give you a rundown of all 5 exercises I used during the workout, covering explosive training, push, pull, squat and posterior chain.

In between every single set, I did 40 seconds of stepping on a small Step platform (with 4 risers)...an excellent "low-equipment" cardio method. You can also very easily do stepping on the bottom two steps of a staircase (just step up two steps, then back down two steps).

(Note: alternate which leg you step up with on every interval, so you keep the workload balanced between legs).

The weight training portions of the workout should NOT be done to failure...stay a few reps short of the point. We're not looking for high-intensity strength training here...we're looking for overall activity and movement to get the metabolism roaring.

You'll also notice in the demos that I'm training barefoot. This is not a requirement for the workout...it's just the way I like to train most of the time. And since I train in my basement and not in a commercial gym that requires shoes, it works for me.

And as you'll see in the video, in between EVERY single set, I'm doing 40 minutes of bench stepping as my cardio. Make sure this is moderate intensity...we're not looking for high-intensity cardio here. Ideally, you want to keep a pace you could do about 2 to 3 minutes or more on if you went straight through.

You can finish the workout with 2 or 3 sets of core work...not circuit style, just done separately on it's own.

Bottom line, this is a GREAT overall training strategy for fat-loss. It's extremely time-efficient, allowing you to get your weight training AND your cardio training done in a very short period of time. This entire workout took me just under 25 minutes to complete and all you need for it is just an empty bar!

Try this total-body fat-loss workout...done in 3 minutes...with just ONE dumbbell...
https://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-monsters/2/landers/1-optin/1-single-db-attack.htm

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Fat Loss Circuit Training...Killer Workout Done With Just An Empty Bar!

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