A recent study took a close look at the effects of weight training on fat oxidation (burning). This study used trained participants which is pertinent as most others have only involved college students that did not train with weights regularly.
In this study, fat breakdown and blood flow to fat tissue was measured directly, before and the hours after a workout which involved the use of fairly heavy weight.
This study showed that fat located close to muscle is metabolized during and especially after a workout. This makes sense as fat is a concentrated source of fuel, a lot of energy is required to fuel muscle protein synthesis which is accelerated after training.
This study confirms that weight training does stimulate fat metabolism but remember, to create a reduction in body fat, a calorie controlled approach is essential.
