HIIT vs. traditional cardio

xstea11
xstea11 Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there!
what is your opinion on HIIT workout vs. standard cardio for weight loss...? I did some research and based on some articles, doing HIIT for 5mins is better for you than 30mins of cardio in the fat burning zone. I find it very confusing, but the time saving sounds very tempting :)
Thanks a lot!

Replies

  • halleymw
    halleymw Posts: 246 Member
    I think it is too soon to say that HIIT can replace regular cardio. What I do is incorporate it into my cardio, ie, I warm up for 5 minutes, do my HIIT, then finish my 30 minutes with normal cardio. I feel this way I get the most of both worlds, as I feel just doing hiit has not been proven to do all the good things that regular cardio does. You can find articles that say it is the best thing since sliced bread, and others that poo poo it as a fad. You have to decide what is right for you, and which articles you believe.
    Mike
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Do what you enjoy......the most effective exercise you can do is the one that you do consistently. If you like HIIT, then do HIIT. If you like running then run.
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 713 Member
    I use HIIT a few days a week, but there are benefits to longer duration workouts as well. I would recommend replacing one or two workouts a week but not more than that. Remember to warm up and cool down, so you're looking at 15-20 minute workouts at least anyway.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Depends on the purpose for doing it, and you did not ask in what way.

    Is black better than blue?

    First off, fat-burning zone cardio is hardly the only HR range available for cardio. That zone has been more correctly called for years before fat-burning zone became a misguided fad - the Active Recovery HR zone. Added no additional load to muscles that needed to repair, like day after lifting, or day after HIIT actually, or day after a very long or very intense run.
    You also have the aerobic zone, for longer distance. The tempo or steady-state zone, for race day efforts. The lactate threshold zone for longer intervals. Super threshold for shorter intervals. ect.

    For training your fat burning system for endurance events, long slow cardio is better, though the fat-burning zone is rather low for training only.

    For training your lactate system to handle it better, intervals above the LT line is better.

    For building new muscle (if diet allows), HIIT is needed, long slow cardio won't do that.

    HIIT is the answer for those that only want to do cardio but want a lifting like workout, allowing something sport specific.
    It's 6 to 10 reps of all-out anaerobic push, with brief recovers, to push all out again. As close of an experience as you'll get to lifting without actually lifting.

    For fat burning, HIIT, like lifting, requires repair for the 24-36 hrs following the exercise, so while the workout itself doesn't burn as much as straight cardio would, the afterburn is much more, just like lifting.

    HIIT does take less time though, so if pressed for time, the total 24-36 hr calorie burn from HIIT will beat a longer cardio workout.

    But if pressed for time, don't do cardio that is close to lifting to get the positive effects of lifting.

    Just do the lifting. HIIT is usually limited to one group of muscles. Do full body lifting though.

    Then save your fat-burning, aka Active Recovery HR zone, cardio for the day after to aid repair and really benefit from the lifting.
  • xstea11
    xstea11 Posts: 11
    Thanks a lot everyone. I will incorporate the HIIT into my current exercise schedule and see how it works.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    http://dynamicduotraining.com/wordpress/15-experts-weigh-in-on-hiit-or-liss-cardio-for-optimal-fat-loss/

    ^^^ If you want an in depth view of the pros and cons with specific regard to fat loss.

    Personally I think if you are doing a decent resistance training programme and have a decent handle on your diet then HIIT is not really worth worrying about if your primary goal is fat loss.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    There is no 'fat burning zone' so let's get that out of the way 1st.


    Next....I lost all my weight just doing cardio, no HIIT at all. Now I do both; but mainly cardio.
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
    HIIT is great! sometimes my gym offers a 45 minute HIIT class and I really enjoy it. burn a lot and continue burning calories afterwards. helps me see results. nothing wrong with traditional cardio though - do what YOU love exercise-wise but change it up so your body doesn't get bored

    I'm no expert but I've been working out consistently for almost 3 years now and when I see people constantly doing the same elliptical or treadmill walk at the gym every single day, they don't get results and they get frustrated.

    HIIT is also FUN. :)
  • Kate814
    Kate814 Posts: 145
    Both have their place, in my opinion. The benefit of HIIT is that it can raise your heart rate substantially higher than traditional, steady state cardio. Traditional cardio will improve your endurance more so than HIIT. For weight loss, I agree with the other comments. Do whichever you'd like. Both have pros and cons but in the end they both get you moving.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    You don't have to choose one or the other! I'd recommend at least incorporating some HIIT into your cardio routine, especially if your goal is weight loss. But you can still do mostly endurance cardio if that's what you prefer.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    http://dynamicduotraining.com/wordpress/15-experts-weigh-in-on-hiit-or-liss-cardio-for-optimal-fat-loss/

    ^^^ If you want an in depth view of the pros and cons with specific regard to fat loss.

    Personally I think if you are doing a decent resistance training programme and have a decent handle on your diet then HIIT is not really worth worrying about if your primary goal is fat loss.

    Excellent article.

    Sadly reading through it, you can tell which "expert" didn't read the scenario correctly, but info still useful.

    But this should be required reading for all cardio bunnies that already did HIIT, and moved to lifting and want that to be focus, but they try to keep their HIIT running in the mix.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
    http://webtalkradio.net/internet-talk-radio/2013/04/15/brink-zone-radio-high-intensity-interval-training-hiit-overrated-or-the-optimal-form-of-exercise/
  • mazmataz
    mazmataz Posts: 331 Member
    I'm a huge fan of HIIT for several reasona:

    1. It breaks up the tedium that can often be a cardio workout
    2. It's a time saver!
    3. It burns it's fair share of calories
    4. It does improve your cardiovascular health. I think that HIIT is just a trendier term for interval training, which when I was running long distance, really helped with my fitness.

    I usually try and get a 15 minute HIIT session in after my lifting 3 x times a week. And the I'll maybe do 1 or 2 long cardio sessions through the week.

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