HIIT running Vs High incline

brizforthewin

Hello all,
I am wondering what is actually better for you when one is trying to loose fat . Everywhere i read it says HIIT HIIT HIIT but recently a friend of mine who is a trainer told me i am better off doing the highest incline possible at a speed of 2.5 for 40 mins. Apparently HIIT just helps you loose water weight.... Thanks for the advice!

Sovictorrious

I read that Hiit is great for burning fat...it causes a longer afterburner affect. But that is what is from my own research, I am not any means someone who is here to advise anyone. Would love to see what others think.

She_Hulk

I'm interested in this as well. Woman who is fitness competitor at my gym told me the same thing.

Fit_little_vegan

Depend what you are going for
Think of a cheetah it has very strong legs!
Why? Because it does not run constantly
It sprints and than rests
Aka HIIT
It's what I do and it helps burn way more calories
in a shorter time while building muscle not deteriorating it.
If you want to lose "just water weight" that would require you to change your diet not how you run.

a_stronger_me13

Both are effective and I think on similar levels as well. Two factors that I consider when trying to pick between the two is the time I have to workout and also the time I have to recover before my next lifting session. If I have the time and there is a quick turnaround between my lifting days, I choose to do LISS on an incline because I find that it doesn't affect my recovery for lifting as much as doing a shorter sprinting interval session like 8x200m sprints or 4x400m sprints with some walking in between. If I'm crunched for time, I'll do sprints on the treadmill.

Azdak

People have a tendency to make simplistic exercise recommendations as though there was "one size fits all". It doesn't. It is never an "either/or" situation.

In general, fat loss occurs due to a long-term calorie deficit. Incline walking has no magic benefits. It is a way of increasing intensity. There is no particular speed or incline that provides special benefits. The recommendations of a lower speed/higher incline are usually given because that is easier for most people to sustain for a longer period of time (vs a fast walking speed/moderate incline combo). Incline walking allows a more fit person to work at a higher intensity without having to resort to a higher-impact activity like running.

In a situation where someone with low body fat was trying to maximize muscle mass gains, then treadmill incline walking might be of some benefit. Research suggests that impact movements with a higher eccentric component (e.g. running) have a more negative effect on gaining muscle mass. However, that is ONLY relevant for someone who is either trying to gain massive amounts of muscle or someone who is already at a low body fat %. For the average person, it doesn't make any difference.

For average exercisers, the primary benefit of HIIT or similar workouts is to increase fitness levels. The increased fitness level allows an individual to work harder and burn more calories.

There is a place for these types of workouts in everyone's routine, but I also recommend that people maintain a balance and not blindly follow the recommendations of more elite-level exercisers. What is good for a "fitness model" is not always the best approach for a beginner or intermediate exerciser. A good trainer should know the difference.

IWILLBelieveAchieveInspire

bumping for more opinions.