Michael Mosley names 'best' exercise to help build 'calorie burning' muscle

Michael Mosley has shared some valuable exercise advice for those looking to build an effective workout routine in the new year.

The new year sees many people make resolutions to get fitter and healthier, but it can be tough to know where to start. There is no shortage of slimming information out there that promises to bring life-changing results, but it's important to know the basics before delving into the advanced stuff.

Luckily, the health guru has spoken on what he says is the "best" exercise to build fat-burning muscle. The author of Just One Thing has released an extra long special of his podcast of the same name, where he spoke to a leading expert on the importance of exercise.

The 'best' muscle building exercise

One movement that he particularly praised is a form of resistance exercise known as the squat. The movement requires a person to lower their hips from a standing position, bending to a 90C angle and standing back up.

"I was told by a number of people that the squat is probably the single best exercise you can do. It works on the biggest muscles in your body. There is also research that suggests it leads to increased blood flow to the brain."

His guest Professor Marie Murphy "endorses" Michael's claim regarding the squat as being one of the best exercises you can do, both for strength and getting your heart rate going due to the amount of muscles required for the move.

"You are getting your cardiovascular system going because the big muscles that require a lot of oxygen," she explained. "So if you employ two of the biggest muscles in your body - your quads and your glutes - you're going to challenge your cardiovascular system as well as your muscular system - it gets a vote from me too."

Some people believe that strength training only benefits hopeful bodybuilders who are looking to get as big as possible, but that's not actually true. Movements like squats, press-ups, bicep curls and more are better for building muscle compared to cardio workouts like walking and running.

Muscles and calorie burning

According to Professor Marie Murphy of Ulster University, keeping muscles strong is "hugely beneficial" in maintaining a healthy weight, as they help boost calorie burning.

When asked about the advantages, she said: "Muscle is really your furnace in the body so it takes fuel, it burns fuel and it uses energy. And so if you have more muscle mass than your metabolism stays higher.

"So if you have two people same weight but one has more muscle and the other has more fat, then the person just sitting still, not doing anything is burning more calories.

"So there's a real benefit if you're thinking about trying to maintain a healthy bodyweight, or your trying to keep your blood sugar under control, then having well-charged furnaces gives you the benefit of the metabolic boost."

Another tip highlighted in the episode is that anyone looking to exercise more should make sure they're doing it for a number of reasons and not just weight loss. This can often result people in giving up when they don't see immediate results.

Professor Murphy added: "If you see exercise as something that you have to do simply to burn off the calories that you shouldn't have eaten then you're onto a loser because you're always going to be on the losing end of that argument."

Instead, she recommends finding a form of exercise you enjoy that you will look forward to and as such, are less likely to quit.

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