Intervals for higher calorie burns
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I agree with the 'don't do fatburning zone' recommendation.
But steady state isn't the same as LISS/'slow cardio'/fatburning zone.
Almost all the running I do is steady state - I hate fiddling with the controls on my treadmill and short intervals would drive me nuts (my preset speed buttons are 4, 8, 12 and 16kph, all the rest is through manual changes by 0.1kph increments). But I'm definitely not doing slow cardio when I'm running, I just prefer to vary my speed between runs, not so much within the same sessions.
Steady-state walking can be pretty intense too at the appropriate incline and speed.
As for it being boring: sure, it would be if I didn't have my television
At the gym, not being in charge of what you're watching might make it less fun, but listening to a podcast or audiobook on headphones could be a way to keep it interesting.
Regarding the bolded: I know that Niner's understanding is more nuanced, but I have to say that that concept is one of my pet peeves about common perceptions, too. There are smart, fit people here who speak as if LISS and intervals are polar opposites. That's IMO misleading.
"Steady state" is a pacing strategy. Intervals are a pacing strategy.
Low, medium/moderate, high are potential ways to characterize intensity.
Pacing strategies can mix and match with intensities, though not all combinations make sense.
LISS is a common combination, but MISS (medium/moderate intensity steady state), and HISS (high intensity etc.) are also possible combinations.
Intervals can be varied, though low intensity intervals (I guess that would be LIIT?) probably doesn't make a lot of sense, unless maybe one might characterize a walk/rest interval activity as that. For sure, MIIT and HIIT are possible, and there may be variation in either the intensity of the work part of the intervals or the intensity of the rest part - either binary step up/down in intensity or multi-step (low to medium to high, maybe back down as a pyramid).
(In any variation where there's continuous movement, of course the rest intervals aren't pure rest, but I can't think of another term to use instead. In rowing, we often call the rest-ish part "off" (like 2' on, 30" off), but in a lot of cases the "off" is still moving, just less intensely.)
I'm not going to go into a silly-long essay here, but many of these varied combinations of pacing/intensity have a training purpose, for at least some sports/fitness goals.
As a generality, there are implications for duration of the pacing/intensity combination, too. To use an extreme example, no one is doing what is (for them) 2 continuous hours of high intensity steady state. If a person can do it for 2 hours, it isn't functionally high intensity for that person. (The same is true for HIIT workouts - that they're somewhat self-limiting in duration - but that's more complicated.)
In rowing, we sometimes use "LSD" - Long, Slow Distance - as the label instead of "LISS". Conceptually, I think that makes more sense, makes it easier to be clear . . . but not all activities have distance, of course.
Recognizing that many/most don’t know or care about the metrics and details that help define “low, medium, high” related to intensity, understanding those differences becomes helpful (and important) when performance improvements are a primary goal.
In those situations, pacing discussions that speak in concrete terms (min:sec/mile, HR by zone, power output by zone) eliminate ambiguity, assuming the user has done testing to define their threshold abilities.
Again, this may be overkill for some, but an example to illustrate @Ann’s point about doing “on” and “off” Intervals while moving continuously is a popular track workout that can also be done on a treadmill:
Warmup as easy 1 mile (4 laps) then main set done as 16 laps alternating between 5k threshold pace (7:50) for the odd laps and half marathon pace (8:55) for the even laps.
In this case, the “off” intervals are still run at a half marathon race pace, but they serve as recovery from the 5k threshold or “on” intervals. This workout really helps build speed for half marathon distance training. Number of laps can be adjusted down to start and increased as fitness grows. (12, 16, 24, etc)
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I don't get bored with outdoor cardio, but this time of year it's too hot for me, so joined a gym in June.
I manage boredom by alternating between walking, biking, rowing, and elliptical-ing. The ellipticals are in front of the TV set to the Food network, so I've been watching a lot of cooking shows lately
I walk or row during commercials. I used to despise the elliptical, but realized it's tolerable if I slow it down. I use the METS to create a custom calorie entry.
When I first joined the gym I used the Hills setting on the bike, but I'm not on it long enough for there to be a point to this.1 -
Can't tell you how many times I've debated people over HIIT programs and them telling me they do an hour of it. MAYBE 20 minutes max, but when I mention it's no longer HIIT, they go ballistic. I'll tell them if it's more than that it's MIIT and that's okay. Still insistence of it being HIIT prevailed with them.I agree with the 'don't do fatburning zone' recommendation.
But steady state isn't the same as LISS/'slow cardio'/fatburning zone.
Almost all the running I do is steady state - I hate fiddling with the controls on my treadmill and short intervals would drive me nuts (my preset speed buttons are 4, 8, 12 and 16kph, all the rest is through manual changes by 0.1kph increments). But I'm definitely not doing slow cardio when I'm running, I just prefer to vary my speed between runs, not so much within the same sessions.
Steady-state walking can be pretty intense too at the appropriate incline and speed.
As for it being boring: sure, it would be if I didn't have my television At the gym, not being in charge of what you're watching might make it less fun, but listening to a podcast or audiobook on headphones could be a way to keep it interesting.
Regarding the bolded: I know that Niner's understanding is more nuanced, but I have to say that that concept is one of my pet peeves about common perceptions, too. There are smart, fit people here who speak as if LISS and intervals are polar opposites. That's IMO misleading.
"Steady state" is a pacing strategy. Intervals are a pacing strategy.
Low, medium/moderate, high are potential ways to characterize intensity.
Pacing strategies can mix and match with intensities, though not all combinations make sense.
LISS is a common combination, but MISS (medium/moderate intensity steady state), and HISS (high intensity etc.) are also possible combinations.
Intervals can be varied, though low intensity intervals (I guess that would be LIIT?) probably doesn't make a lot of sense, unless maybe one might characterize a walk/rest interval activity as that. For sure, MIIT and HIIT are possible, and there may be variation in either the intensity of the work part of the intervals or the intensity of the rest part - either binary step up/down in intensity or multi-step (low to medium to high, maybe back down as a pyramid).
(In any variation where there's continuous movement, of course the rest intervals aren't pure rest, but I can't think of another term to use instead. In rowing, we often call the rest-ish part "off" (like 2' on, 30" off), but in a lot of cases the "off" is still moving, just less intensely.)
I'm not going to go into a silly-long essay here, but many of these varied combinations of pacing/intensity have a training purpose, for at least some sports/fitness goals.
As a generality, there are implications for duration of the pacing/intensity combination, too. To use an extreme example, no one is doing what is (for them) 2 continuous hours of high intensity steady state. If a person can do it for 2 hours, it isn't functionally high intensity for that person. (The same is true for HIIT workouts - that they're somewhat self-limiting in duration - but that's more complicated.)
In rowing, we sometimes use "LSD" - Long, Slow Distance - as the label instead of "LISS". Conceptually, I think that makes more sense, makes it easier to be clear . . . but not all activities have distance, of course.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Can't tell you how many times I've debated people over HIIT programs and them telling me they do an hour of it. MAYBE 20 minutes max, but when I mention it's no longer HIIT, they go ballistic. I'll tell them if it's more than that it's MIIT and that's okay. Still insistence of it being HIIT prevailed with them.I agree with the 'don't do fatburning zone' recommendation.
But steady state isn't the same as LISS/'slow cardio'/fatburning zone.
Almost all the running I do is steady state - I hate fiddling with the controls on my treadmill and short intervals would drive me nuts (my preset speed buttons are 4, 8, 12 and 16kph, all the rest is through manual changes by 0.1kph increments). But I'm definitely not doing slow cardio when I'm running, I just prefer to vary my speed between runs, not so much within the same sessions.
Steady-state walking can be pretty intense too at the appropriate incline and speed.
As for it being boring: sure, it would be if I didn't have my television At the gym, not being in charge of what you're watching might make it less fun, but listening to a podcast or audiobook on headphones could be a way to keep it interesting.
Regarding the bolded: I know that Niner's understanding is more nuanced, but I have to say that that concept is one of my pet peeves about common perceptions, too. There are smart, fit people here who speak as if LISS and intervals are polar opposites. That's IMO misleading.
"Steady state" is a pacing strategy. Intervals are a pacing strategy.
Low, medium/moderate, high are potential ways to characterize intensity.
Pacing strategies can mix and match with intensities, though not all combinations make sense.
LISS is a common combination, but MISS (medium/moderate intensity steady state), and HISS (high intensity etc.) are also possible combinations.
Intervals can be varied, though low intensity intervals (I guess that would be LIIT?) probably doesn't make a lot of sense, unless maybe one might characterize a walk/rest interval activity as that. For sure, MIIT and HIIT are possible, and there may be variation in either the intensity of the work part of the intervals or the intensity of the rest part - either binary step up/down in intensity or multi-step (low to medium to high, maybe back down as a pyramid).
(In any variation where there's continuous movement, of course the rest intervals aren't pure rest, but I can't think of another term to use instead. In rowing, we often call the rest-ish part "off" (like 2' on, 30" off), but in a lot of cases the "off" is still moving, just less intensely.)
I'm not going to go into a silly-long essay here, but many of these varied combinations of pacing/intensity have a training purpose, for at least some sports/fitness goals.
As a generality, there are implications for duration of the pacing/intensity combination, too. To use an extreme example, no one is doing what is (for them) 2 continuous hours of high intensity steady state. If a person can do it for 2 hours, it isn't functionally high intensity for that person. (The same is true for HIIT workouts - that they're somewhat self-limiting in duration - but that's more complicated.)
In rowing, we sometimes use "LSD" - Long, Slow Distance - as the label instead of "LISS". Conceptually, I think that makes more sense, makes it easier to be clear . . . but not all activities have distance, of course.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Yup. "Feels really hard to me" is not exactly the definition of "high intensity". @Djproulx's comments about intensity metrics are exactly on point in this regard, although I think more loosey-goosey definitions (maybe based on good definitions of RPE, among other things) can be an OK-ish guide for people pursuing general fitness but wanting a mix of intensities to serve that purpose.
People who get serious about a sport (and sometimes just about general fitness) are going to have training plans and some kind of intensity metrics, generally.
An hour isn't HIIT, unless the rest intervals are . . . long.
For those who claim they did an hour of HIIT (or more!) . . . well, some people think HIIT is an exercise type/modality, not an intensity/pacing strategy. After all, a person can take a "HIIT class" and "learn how to do HIIT" . . . so it must be an exercise type, eh? 
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If I’m thinking of HIIT workouts, two descriptions seem to cover it for me. The first is “Going to Breathless” during a set of sprint intervals on the bike, and the second one describing a Tabata workout as “the longest four minutes of your life”. The classic Tabata protocol is eight rounds of 20 seconds at max output with 10 seconds recovery. If you push the 20 seconds at max, you’re dying by the fourth or fifth round and barely able to recover.
It’s a great tool for building aerobic capacity… but it hurts.😉2 -
Yes. There are people on Tik Tok touting Tabata workouts with situps, push ups and curls. I always interject that it's NOT TABATA. If you aren't like rolling on the floor gasping for air in 4 minutes, you did INTERVALS.If I’m thinking of HIIT workouts, two descriptions seem to cover it for me. The first is “Going to Breathless” during a set of sprint intervals on the bike, and the second one describing a Tabata workout as “the longest four minutes of your life”. The classic Tabata protocol is eight rounds of 20 seconds at max output with 10 seconds recovery. If you push the 20 seconds at max, you’re dying by the fourth or fifth round and barely able to recover.
It’s a great tool for building aerobic capacity… but it hurts.😉
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
Cardio bores me to death.
The only thing I've found is to change machines to give the illusion of variety. I do 20 minutes on the bike, then 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 15 minutes on the treadmill (either running or fast walking at 15%) and 5 minutes as a finisher on the StairMaster. I also change the settings on the machine to add a bit of variety, but I always stay at a fairly similar intensity : keeping my rhythm quite "elevated" (well, for me, it is), around 170 bpm throughout my workout. With peaks of 180/190 in the last few minutes on each machine.
But even with that I get bored so quickly. I always put a video on my phone, but I'm clearly in the zone where I'm putting in too much effort to really concentrate on what's being said in the video, as I also have to concentrate on my breathing, I've got a little heart murmur which means I can get my pulse racing very quickly... That's why I also avoid intense HIIT now, I used to get really bad sensations when I did it
From one session to the next I always aim to do more than the previous one, so I increase the resistance/speed/ect for X minutes, which means I keep a close eye on the screen (and so on the time displayed), which means I feel that the time is passing even moooore slowly lol.
I think I'll always hate cardio no matter what ! I'm very envious of those rare ones who genuinely enjoy it !1 -
I'm not a big fan of cardio, but intervals make them pass faster for me. But except for kickboxing class, I usually never do more than 30 minutes of cardio a day.Cardio bores me to death.
The only thing I've found is to change machines to give the illusion of variety. I do 20 minutes on the bike, then 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 15 minutes on the treadmill (either running or fast walking at 15%) and 5 minutes as a finisher on the StairMaster. I also change the settings on the machine to add a bit of variety, but I always stay at a fairly similar intensity : keeping my rhythm quite "elevated" (well, for me, it is), around 170 bpm throughout my workout. With peaks of 180/190 in the last few minutes on each machine.
But even with that I get bored so quickly. I always put a video on my phone, but I'm clearly in the zone where I'm putting in too much effort to really concentrate on what's being said in the video, as I also have to concentrate on my breathing, I've got a little heart murmur which means I can get my pulse racing very quickly... That's why I also avoid intense HIIT now, I used to get really bad sensations when I did it
From one session to the next I always aim to do more than the previous one, so I increase the resistance/speed/ect for X minutes, which means I keep a close eye on the screen (and so on the time displayed), which means I feel that the time is passing even moooore slowly lol.
I think I'll always hate cardio no matter what ! I'm very envious of those rare ones who genuinely enjoy it !
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 0 -
Cardio bores me to death.
The only thing I've found is to change machines to give the illusion of variety. I do 20 minutes on the bike, then 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 15 minutes on the treadmill (either running or fast walking at 15%) and 5 minutes as a finisher on the StairMaster. I also change the settings on the machine to add a bit of variety, but I always stay at a fairly similar intensity : keeping my rhythm quite "elevated" (well, for me, it is), around 170 bpm throughout my workout. With peaks of 180/190 in the last few minutes on each machine.
But even with that I get bored so quickly. I always put a video on my phone, but I'm clearly in the zone where I'm putting in too much effort to really concentrate on what's being said in the video, as I also have to concentrate on my breathing, I've got a little heart murmur which means I can get my pulse racing very quickly... That's why I also avoid intense HIIT now, I used to get really bad sensations when I did it
From one session to the next I always aim to do more than the previous one, so I increase the resistance/speed/ect for X minutes, which means I keep a close eye on the screen (and so on the time displayed), which means I feel that the time is passing even moooore slowly lol.
I think I'll always hate cardio no matter what ! I'm very envious of those rare ones who genuinely enjoy it !
I can do an hour of cardio outside, but I've yet to last as long as 15 minutes at a time on any indoor cardio machine 0 -
I did sprints on a nearby track for the first time in years, forgot how fun it was to go nearly all out.
I did 5 x 100 m sprints at about 90%. ABout 5 min rests in between.
My hamstrings were obviously not expecting it because its been 5 days and they haven't fully recovered.
I used to go on long trail runs earlier this summer. But I think I will stay away from anything overly exhaustive for 1+hrs. Don't want to compromise the muscle gain.0 -
Tip: Get used to taking your heart rate. Finger on neck for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. (If you don’t have or use an HRM) Know what <1000 feels like… then 1100-1300, 1300-1500, and 1500+.
At that point, it’s less about HIIT and more about interval training in general. Then you can decide where your efforts are best placed.
That said, I absolutely agree that interval training is critical to increased fitness.
Using walking as an example: There’s NOTHING wrong with a nice long walk. Once you feel good about it, maybe you increase your walking pace a little here and there. (And so on) once you increase your HR in any short window, it will be easier to maintain a higher HR and thus, lose more cals, etc.0
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