Combining HIIT and steady state?

mariams99

I've read numerous articles about HIIT vs steady state. They all concluded that HIIT was better for fat loss but that it shouldn't be done on consecutive days. So I was thinking of doing HIIT one day and steady state the next, and continue like that all week. Would that be a good idea? Also, I want to incorporate strength training. Should I do that during the HIIT days or the steady state days?

Cherimoose

HIIT isn't "better" for fat loss, it's simply more efficient - meaning it burns more calories per minute. Do whichever form of cardio you enjoy enough to do on an ongoing basis.

A typical beginner's plan is to do a full-body strength workout every 2-3 days, and on your non-lifting days do cardio of your choice. You could add some cardio on strength day too, but not too much, especially if it's intense.

jacksonpt

It's not that it's better for fat loss, it's that it's better for muscle retention. So if your diet is in check, which is a big if, more of your weight loss *should* be from fat... that's the benefit of HIIT on body composition.

As for when to do HIIT... HIIT has a similar impact on your CNS as does heavy lifting. So if you are going to life and do HIIT, do them on the same day so your CNS can recover of you your off day or low intensity cardio days.

dopeysmelly

I don't know about fat loss. I do it mainly to improve my heart health. I use my HRM to monitor what my heart rate is, but adding in HIIT periods makes cardio much less tedious if it's at the gym.

Cherimoose

jacksonpt wrote: »

It's not that it's better for fat loss, it's that it's better for muscle retention. So if your diet is in check, which is a big if, more of your weight loss *should* be from fat... that's the benefit of HIIT on body composition.

Strength training does that too, and generally more effectively, so it seems kind of redundant to do HIIT if strength training is also done. Doing too much HIIT could negatively affect recovery from strength training. Of course a lot of that depends on how one defines "HIIT". Often the term is used here to simply mean "interval training", without near-maximal intervals.

Foamroller

I combine both, meaning I weave bursts into a normal cardio routine. Example 55 mins spinning interval group class. If I've got very good time I'll add 20-30 mins additional cycling or rowing on lower intensity. Or I walk upstream, running here and there. Suddenly I was running all the way.

Do whatever feels right for your body, push yourself in babysteps and you'll see improvements before you know it.

Good luck

jacksonpt

Cherimoose wrote: »

jacksonpt wrote: »

It's not that it's better for fat loss, it's that it's better for muscle retention. So if your diet is in check, which is a big if, more of your weight loss *should* be from fat... that's the benefit of HIIT on body composition.

Strength training does that too, and generally more effectively, so it seems kind of redundant to do HIIT if strength training is also done. Doing too much HIIT could negatively affect recovery from strength training. Of course a lot of that depends on how one defines "HIIT". Often the term is used here to simply mean "interval training", without near-maximal intervals.

Agreed, and while I try not to make assumptions, I doubt the average MFPer is doing too much lifting/hiit to negatively affect fat/weight loss.

My point was that hiit was more effective than steady state low intensity cardio. But since we're on the topic... I've read several articles stating hiit has a similar effect on muscle retentionas does heavy lifting, that one isn't more effective than an another, at least not to any meaningful extent.