Sprint the Fat Away!

Egger29

Shorter workouts, faster results. Yet another reason to ditch your stale, old cardio routine for HIIT

HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, alternates all-out bouts of sprinting with slower bouts of recovery, pushing your metabolism higher and for longer than traditional training. While there is still some value in your long, steady-paced runs — namely in overall endurance — HIIT may actually be your best choice for fat-burning, according to new research.

Scientists at the University of Western Ontario (London) found that subjects who performed 4-6, 30-second sprints three times per week burned twice as much fat as those who jogged for 30-60 minutes at a steady pace. Both groups gained an average of 1% lean mass. What’s even more interesting is that the endurance markers — time trials in 2000-meter run and VO2 max performance — were similar with both groups.

The take home message is that high-intensity intervals can help you burn more fat, build more lean muscle and increase endurance — usually in 1/3 or 1/2 of the time of your normal cardio session.

Ref: Run sprint interval training improves aerobic performance but not maximal cardiac output. - Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Jan;43(1):115-22. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20473222)