Metabolic Conditioning Workouts: How to Start Metcon Training

Metabolic conditioning (sometimes shortened to “metcon”) is a workout that aims to strengthen the body’s ability to provide energy to active muscles and recover after periods of exercise. While there is debate on the exact tactics that train the body’s energy systems, metabolic conditioning has become broadly defined as any exercise that focuses on the work-to-rest ratio. A common example of a metcon exercise is thirty seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by sixty seconds of rest.

You can adapt almost any exercise to fit a metabolic exercise program, including weight training, other resistance training, cardio exercises, compound movements, or bodyweight exercises.

The term “metabolic conditioning” is often used in tandem or synonymously with different types of training routines, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT workouts), as-many-reps-as-possible routines (AMRAPs), circuit training, and every-minute-on-the-minute (EMOM) workouts. However, these routines are simply individual approaches to metabolic conditioning.

There are three main types of metabolic conditioning, based on the work-to-rest ratio and which energy system it targets:

1. 1. Less exercise, more rest: Exercises with a work-to-rest ratio of less exercise and more rest—for example, sprinting for ten seconds and resting for two minutes—will activate the body’s phosphagen system. This anaerobic system uses creatine phosphate to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The phosphagen system is fast-acting and great for short bursts of high energy but requires more recovery time. Exercises that train the phosphagen system tend to have ratios of 1:12 or 1:20.
2. 2. Medium exercise, medium rest: Exercises with a work-to-rest ratio of medium exercise and medium rest—for example, weightlifting or strength training for one minute and resting for five minutes—will activate the body’s glycolytic system, which uses glucose or carbs to produce ATP. The glycolytic system kicks in to take over from the phosphagen system after at least ten seconds of exercise and can work for longer before needing time to rest and recover. Exercises that train the glycolytic system often have ratios of 1:3 or 1:5.
3. 3. More exercise, less rest: Exercises with a work-to-rest ratio of more exercise and less rest—for example, longer-duration cardio exercises like jogging—will activate the body’s oxidative system, an aerobic system that uses carbs, fat, and oxygen to produce ATP. The oxidative system has the highest endurance of the body’s energy systems, taking over when the activity requires long-distance effort. Typically, exercises that train the oxidative system have ratios of 1:2, 1:1, or 2:1.

Metabolic conditioning workouts can have many benefits, including:

1. 1. It can strengthen your energy systems. The main goal of metabolic conditioning is to strengthen the body’s energy systems by regularly engaging and exhausting them. As your energy systems develop, you can see improvements in many different aspects of your workout, including your cardiovascular performance, metabolic rate, endurance, and recovery.
2. 2. It’s time-efficient. Metabolic conditioning can work for those with busy schedules because the exercises take less time, and they focus on duration rather than reps or weight. This duration-focused approach means you can plan and predict exactly how long your metcon routine will take. In some cases, you can complete a robust routine in a ten-minute workout.
3. 3. It’s flexible. Since the only required factor in metabolic conditioning is the work-to-rest ratio, you can adapt almost any existing exercise into a metcon routine, making the practice infinitely customizable and adaptable to your particular needs, focused muscle groups, and interests. Metcon routines can prioritize almost any workout goal, including building muscle mass, increasing endurance, burning calories (both during the exercise and through excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC), or developing mental strength.

Metabolic conditioning can have a few drawbacks, such as:

1. 1. It can be vague. Metabolic conditioning is a contested type of training for many personal trainers because there are many ways to define metcon routines, target energy systems, or see results. In addition, metcon training is often used interchangeably with other methodologies (like HIIT or AMRAP), which can confuse beginners.
2. 2. It’s usually not a standalone exercise routine. Metabolic conditioning can be a quick way to establish a workout routine, but most personal trainers don’t recommend doing it independently. Instead, they suggest complementing metabolic conditioning with other forms of exercise, like weight lifting or a sport, to receive the most holistic benefits of a workout routine.
3. 3. It requires great form. Many metabolic conditioning routines emphasize quick movements and speed-based reps, which require excellent form to receive the full benefits of the exercise and avoid injury. Other, slower workout routines allow individuals to pace themselves and learn the form first, making it safer for beginners.
4. 4. Its speed and intensity can increase injury risks. With an emphasis on speed, high intensity, and slow recovery periods, metabolic conditioning can increase injury risks or exacerbate existing conditions. If you’re interested in starting a metcon routine, consider consulting a medical professional to confirm that this type of training is right for you.

Here are some exercises that many personal trainers recommend as part of a metcon routine. You can adapt many of these for higher or lower intensity routines by varying the reps, chaining exercises together into a circuit, or adapting the rest periods.

1. 1. Burpees: A burpee is a total body workout in which you begin in a standing position, lower yourself down to a squat, swing your legs back into a push-up, and then return to standing. Learn how to do burpees with perfect form.
2. 2. Interval jogs: Interval jogs allow you to determine your pace over short distances to control the intensity and aerobic quality of the run.
3. 3. Kettlebell swings: Kettlebell swings are a compound exercise for the posterior chain in which you hold a heavy kettlebell in front of you at chest height, then maneuver it down between your legs and up over your head. Try these kettlebell exercises at home.
4. 4. Lunges: Lunges are a lower-body exercise in which you move forward with one leg at a time, lunging almost to the floor before lifting your bodyweight back upward. Learn how to master lateral lunges.
5. 5. Pull-ups: Pull-ups are an upper-body and core exercise in which you hold onto a bar and lift your body weight in a controlled motion up toward the bar, then ease back down. Learn how to do pull-ups with perfect form.
6. 6. Push-ups: Push-ups are an exercise in which you situate yourself on the floor in a plank position, lowering yourself down with your arms and chest and then pushing your body weight back up again. Use this guide to learn the proper push-up form.
7. 7. Sprints: Sprints are high-intensity runs done in short bursts, often back and forth along a short distance.
8. 8. Squats: Squats are full-body compound movements in which you lower your weight down using your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, then move back up to a fully standing position. You can perform squats as a bodyweight exercise or with dumbbells or a barbell, or modify them into jump squats by including an explosive jump at the top.

Check out this step-by-step guide to determine if a metabolic workout regimen is right for you:

1. 1. Consider consulting a professional personal trainer. Before beginning your first metcon routine, consider consulting a healthcare or sports medicine professional who can help you decide if it’s the right routine for you at your current fitness level.
2. 2. Design your routine. Select a few metcon exercises that you can do using your available equipment. Then, decide the level of intensity for each exercise. Here are a few questions to consider to help guide your training workout: What are your fitness goals? Would you like to target a specific energy system? How much time would you like to spend performing the routine? Do you have a preference for repeated motions or a range of options?
3. 3. Warm up before working out. When you’re ready to begin your metcon workout program, always start with a warm-up—avoid exercising “cold,” or from a completely sedentary or resting state, because it can shock your body and lead to undue strain or injury. To warm up before you exercise, start with a quick walk to increase your heart rate and encourage blood flow to your body. After your walk, stretch your muscles to get them ready for the exercise.
4. 4. Maintain proper form. As you perform each exercise, pay close attention to your form. In general, keep your back straight, bend your knees, and ensure your feet are about shoulder-width apart.
5. 5. Cool down at the end of your routine. At the end of a metabolic training session, consider doing a cooldown exercise to ease your body back into a resting state—for instance, finishing up a high-intensity routine with a brief walk before you sit down.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program. Still, you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and immediately stop if you note pain or discomfort.

Incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program to see continual progress and build body strength. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to recover from your workouts adequately. Rest for twenty-four to forty-eight hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.