It seems that with each passing day a new method of fat loss is discovered. But there’s very little that’s really new under the sun. And many of these new fat-loss solutions are nothing more than clever packaging at best, or sheer snake oil salesmanship at worst.

But there are simple tools that have endured for centuries and work just as well today as they did generations ago. Fortunately, these ancient tools are making a comeback as people search for simple and elegant solutions to their fitness needs.

The Clubbell stands head and shoulders above the rest of these simple tools for its versatility and effectiveness. Over the centuries, the humble club has been a ubiquitous means of self-preservation, warfare, and then fitness.

For anyone looking to lose fat, as a stand alone training tool the Clubbell is second to none. Optimal fat loss requires several elements that are subject to an order of importance.

Nutrition

The first requirement for losing fat is, of course, proper nutrition. That’s beyond the scope of this discussion, but suffice it to say that eating a diet that promotes muscle maintenance while tapping into fat stores for energy is a prerequisite. And here’s a hint, anything our prehistoric ancestors used to hunt with their clubs or pull out of the ground would probably be a good place to start.

preserve muscle

Aside from knocking the game down, Clubbells can’t help you with your nutrition. But once you get into the other pieces of the fat loss hierarchy, the Clubbell comes into play. The most important exercise consideration for fat loss is the preservation of lean mass. This is what will allow you to use the energy released from fat as fuel. If you lose lean mass while dieting, you greatly reduce your chances of success.

There are many Clubbell exercises of a “grinding” nature that are perfect for building or maintaining muscle on a fat loss diet. Good options are the Clubbell Flag Press and the Clubbell Barbarian Squat. A YouTube search will return results for both examples. I recommend sets that are 45-75 seconds long for optimal muscle growth potential. Choose four to five exercises that cover your entire body and major movement patterns and do them for 2-3 sets. Do this workout three times a week.

Fuel the Fat Burning Fires

The next rung in our fat loss hierarchy will be high intensity energy system work. Some people call this interval training, others metabolic conditioning. The important thing is to perform high intensity work intervals in the range of 8-10 on a scale of 10 for Rate of Perceived Exertion (this concept is from the Circular Force Training system). Performing such an all-out workout for periods of between 30 seconds and four minutes, taking rest periods of between 10 and 90 seconds, will kick your metabolism into high gear for up to 72 hours post-workout. This type of training can also suppress hunger, which is always a plus when it comes to losing fat.

Putting exercises like the Clubbell Swipe and the Clubbell Clockwork Squat into a circuit will help you reach this high level of intensity. Again, a YouTube search will direct you to demos of these two exercises.

burn extra calories

And last in our hierarchy of fat-loss training priorities, important only if we’re implementing the other two, will be longer, more consistent training, sometimes referred to as cardiovascular or aerobic training. A long time ago, I stopped running. Not only is it hard on the body, but it can get very tedious after a while. But I don’t have to give up cardio. I can get a great steady state workout using my Clubbells.

By doing a one-arm exercise and switching from one arm to the other at regular intervals, I’m able to keep my heart rate up and my fat-burning machines fueled without running into muscle failure. Good options for this are the Clubbell Swing and the Clubbell Mill. Again, a YouTube search should pay off.

A tool for the times

Surprisingly, this simple tool can provide a full spectrum of fat loss benefits. No wonder it has endured through the centuries. And in these uncertain economic times, versatile tools that can replace expensive gym memberships are especially appealing. So if you’re looking to lose some fat, the Clubbell may be the perfect tool for your efforts.