Spread out your workout or all at once?

FrancineDesign · May 2015

So I was wondering is it better to spread your workout through out the day or do it all at once?

I wondered this because sometimes ill do 20mins of HIIT on the stationary bike but later in the day I could also do some more HIIT doing something else for 10-20 mins.

Should I aim to push myself and do it all or will i still benefit from taking a break and doing some more later?

I know i just asked the same question 3 different ways lol but trying to make it clear.
Thanks guys!

shadow2soul · May 2015

The CDC recommends at least 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous effort at a time for health benefits.

I would think if you did two 10 min workouts at a high intensity from beginning to end than that would be more beneficial than say 20 mins where you start out high but taper off midway through. That's just my opinion though. I have no scientific proof to back that up.

DMLC2014 · May 2015

I have to do it all at once or it will never get done! I might do a bike ride outside for a hour if I have the time.
I think you should workout for a good hard hour at least 3 times a week. The rest of the week do something lighter.

DancingMoosie · May 2015

I don't always have a full hour at a time, but I usually have at least 20-30 min. to do something, in the morning and then again in the afternoon. I don't see any reason that it would have to be all at once, unless you are training specifically for an endurance sport (like a long run). I can actually get more out of my lifting if I do cardio separately.

FrancineDesign · May 2015

Hi guys. sounds like its all personal preference maybe. Im not training for anything just trying to be active as much as i can to lose weight.

rileyes · May 2015

I prefer 10 to 20-minute spurts throughout the day. But that also means a lot of rub-downs and, because of the drought, one shower in the evening. I have 4 to 5 main workouts. And, lately, I've been grouping them together.

Christine_72 · May 2015

I walk up to 10 miles everyday, but not all at once. I do 20-30 minute bursts at a time. If I do any longer than that I get terrible pain down the outside of right leg and down my shin..... No idea why

glasshalffull713 · May 2015

Do what works for you. I don't think there is any significant benefit to doing it all at once.

FrancineDesign · May 2015

Thanks everyone

MeanderingMammal · May 2015

francinejones7 wrote: »

So I was wondering is it better to spread your workout through out the day or do it all at once?

It depends on your objectives. If you're only really interested in expending calories, then it really doesn't matter. If you're trying to improve your fitness then different types and lengths of session have different effects.

I wondered this because sometimes ill do 20mins of HIIT on the stationary bike but later in the day I could also do some more HIIT doing something else for 10-20 mins.

So a session of HIIT will have an effect on your maximum oxygen uptake, exxentially your aerobic efficieincy. A longer, lower intensity, session will build aerobic capacity. Without the latter, you're not really getting significant fitness benefits from the former. In between, in terms of duration and intensity, would be threshold work, where you're improving your tolerance to the waste deposits built up in the system through training.

So essentially:

Long steady - Large calorie expenditure, improved aerobic endurance and capacity, sports specific conditioning
Threshold - Lower calorie expenditure, lactate threshold tolerance, improved aerobic endurance and capacity
Intervals - Low calorie expenditure, sports specific conditioning
HIIT - Very low calorie expenditure, improved maximal oxygen uptake

fwiw, if you are doing a 20 minute session and then able to come back and do another 20 minute session later in the day then your intensity if probably in the steady, or at best threshold, range. You're just expending calories really, but if that's all you want from your training then unstructured short sessions is perfectly adequate.

FrancineDesign · May 2015

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

francinejones7 wrote: »

So I was wondering is it better to spread your workout through out the day or do it all at once?

It depends on your objectives. If you're only really interested in expending calories, then it really doesn't matter. If you're trying to improve your fitness then different types and lengths of session have different effects.

I wondered this because sometimes ill do 20mins of HIIT on the stationary bike but later in the day I could also do some more HIIT doing something else for 10-20 mins.

So a session of HIIT will have an effect on your maximum oxygen uptake, exxentially your aerobic efficieincy. A longer, lower intensity, session will build aerobic capacity. Without the latter, you're not really getting significant fitness benefits from the former. In between, in terms of duration and intensity, would be threshold work, where you're improving your tolerance to the waste deposits built up in the system through training.

So essentially:

Long steady - Large calorie expenditure, improved aerobic endurance and capacity, sports specific conditioning
Threshold - Lower calorie expenditure, lactate threshold tolerance, improved aerobic endurance and capacity
Intervals - Low calorie expenditure, sports specific conditioning
HIIT - Very low calorie expenditure, improved maximal oxygen uptake

fwiw, if you are doing a 20 minute session and then able to come back and do another 20 minute session later in the day then your intensity if probably in the steady, or at best threshold, range. You're just expending calories really, but if that's all you want from your training then unstructured short sessions is perfectly adequate.

Thanks, yeah I'm just trying to lose fat, not build muscle of train for endurance. Atm my weight loss has slowed right down so I've included hiit running too because running is really hard for me and the rest period really helps me to keep going.

DMLC2014 · May 2015

You do the required rest periods when you exercise. It can be 1-3 minutes...between a circuit. You body needs to recover a bit. I'm really bad for this--always want to get to the next round.

47Jacqueline · May 2015

It doesn't matter. If you get in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous workouts a week, you'll get fit.

earlnabby · May 2015

My walks are spread out. I have a foot problem and do better with 2-3 walks of 2 miles each rather than one 5-6 miler. My other workouts are lumped together because both are in the pool. I swim laps for an hour (I'm slow so it takes me that long to swim a mile) then go right into a water aerobics class.

MeanderingMammal · May 2015

francinejones7 wrote: »

Thanks, yeah I'm just trying to lose fat, not build muscle of train for endurance. Atm my weight loss has slowed right down so I've included hiit running too because running is really hard for me and the rest period really helps me to keep going.

Ok, understand now.

Weight loss <> fat loss, so any training that you do has to support your objective. With that in mind CV work helps the stamina and helps with the calorie deficit, and resistance work helps to retain lean mass.

I'd suggest some resistance training of some kind. I use You Are Your Own Gym for some of that, as well as my running. That helps push the weight loss towards more fat reduction. If I'm honest HIIT running is of absolutely no value to you, and probably increases your injury risk. You do need a solid base to benefit from HIIT. As an example what I'll do would be:

15 minutes warm up at easy pace (5:45/km)
100 Metre sprint followed by 60 second at easy pace
Repeat ten times
15 minute cool down at easy pace

All that said, I've had a look at your diary and your intake as logged is very low. You're consistently netting around 1000 calories. If your weight loss has stalled then there are several potential causes:

You're eating more than you think you are - Your diary seems reasonably comprehensive though
You're overestimating exercise expenditure - Although you rarely eat back what you expend so that's less likely to be relevant, although for what you describe as your activity the exepnditures appear to be about double what I'd expect.
Your basic activity level is set too high - This strikes me as more likely, particularly as you appear to be underfuelling yourself. I know when I had my deficit set too aggressively I ended up eating too little and it made me lethargic and discinlined to just move. I'd send an email rather than climb three flights of stairs to talk face to face, that kind of thing.

I think it's worth a close look at the whole picture to achieve your goals.

MeanderingMammal · May 2015

47Jacqueline wrote: »

It doesn't matter. If you get in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous workouts a week, you'll get fit.

Although fifteen ten minute sessions will have a different effect on fitness than three 50 minute sessions or one 150 minute session.

Fit is not a binary state. Personally I can run for three hours, cycle for five or six, but I'm not going to even try to bench press my own bodyweight.

Spread out your workout or all at once?

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