I get emails about EPOC all the time so I thought I’d quickly explain it in an easy fashion hopefully.

Here’s a question I got from a trainer out in California yesterday:

Dan,
thanks for your respone. How about the whole “EPOC” equation??? Interval training would be included in this also, wouldn’t it?
Could you go into that a little for me? (and I will share with my clients!! even though they may not like it… )

My response:

EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is the ‘afterburn’ of a workout. In simple terms…the more oxygen you are breathing in each breath the higher your metabolism is, thus the more fat you’re burning at that period of time.

So sprinting causes a higher EPOC effect then jogging.

An intense, heavy workout session causes a higher EPOC effect then higher rep light weight workouts.

The harder you work, generally the higher you’re EPOC will last.

You have to be smart though. A heavy or intense full body exercise will have a way bigger effect on your metabolism then tricep kickbacks for example.

Does that make sense????

Have a great one,

Dan Grant