mederate intensity vs. high intensity

[jenny27]

ok here's the scoop...i'm trying to lose fat and maintain muslce and have been weight training and cardio (4-5x a week 45min either jogging or walking on an incline around 3mph). Now I hear that doing higher intensity cardio for say 20 min would benefit me better than what I'm doing. I'm a little confused and don't want to change things up if I'm not positive that it will benefit me more. I would appreciate any feedback and possibly a sample cardio session.

 

[crew9]

Pretty sure lower intensity, like walking as opposed to running, was more effective at fat burning?

 

[150shot]

I would go would mix it up if your torn. for me I like higher, it gets the heart rate up to a faster rate which I like the feel more.

 

[crew9]

I would go would mix it up if your torn. for me I like higher, it gets the heart rate up to a faster rate which I like the feel more.

There is a difference between cardio and fat burning though.

 

[Bulldog_10]

Technically, the lower the intensity, and longer the duration...the percentage of fat being oxidized goes up...whether this translates to actual fat loss depends more than just the type of exercise you're doing.

 

[Aerojaxx]

HIIT - High Intensity interval training works best for me.....Go like hell for 5 min slow down for 5 min; Go like hell 10 min slow down for 5 min; Go like hell 5 min - slow down, cool down.

 

[bebasshome]

I wish I could link you to the page in my Exercise Phys book. It goes into pretty good detail about the benefits of HIT cardio, as opposed to moderate cardio for optimal fatburning. As well as some graphs, and studies done on fat loss comparing low intensity, to hit cardio. Essentially....the lower intensity "fat burning zone", does hold some merit, in that at lower intensity, you burn a higher PERCENTAGE of fat, to carbs.

HOWEVER, at HIGH intensity, you burn MORE FAT CALORIES. Almost 50% more actually. That is, if you can maintain a higher intensity, which generally corresponds to 85%+ of your max heart rate. For example....5 minutes of sprinting won't do you much good, but if you can keep that up for 15-20minutes, you'll burn a greater # of fat calories, then if you were just say walking on a treadmill, or going easy on an elliptical for 45minutes. Now, granted, you burn a great deal of carbohydrates also. So HIT cardio usually isn't always practical, unless you have a decent amount of carbs in your diet. If you don't, you could potentially eat into your lean muscle mass, which none of us want.

I know there's a bunch of links on the web concerning HIT cardio research, but I'm running late for class, so I gotta run, hope this helped you out.

Brian

 

[leatherface]

Burning fat doesn't necessarily mean losing weight. Without going into much detail here, if your trying to lose fat and maintain muscle, you can switch it up once in a while, but primarily, high intensity. I would recommend HIIT as well. If your really curious go ahead and do a couple weeks of both, see what you like.

 

[Joe Stenson]

A word of warning: For the cardio to truly be HIGH intensity there is no way one can keep this pace up for as long as some are suggesting in this thread. If you're "sprinting" for 5 minutes, you are NOT sprinting.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

i'm trying to lose fat and maintain muslce and have been weight training and cardio (4-5x a week 45min either jogging or walking on an incline around 3mph).

whats your weight training workout? Heavy/ hi intensity lifting is superior to cardio for burning fat & maintaining muscle, while your dieting. Its prob your lifting routine that needs tweaking more than your jogging or walking.

 

[anthrax]

Low intensity : fat burned first, but only for a short time

High intensity : glycogen burned first, but you're still burning calories after your session (afterburn effect)

 

[Destroyer1986*]

The way I do HIIT is sprint for 30secs and then jog for 30secs and continue that for 15minutes.

 

[BOOEY]

A word of warning: For the cardio to truly be HIGH intensity there is no way one can keep this pace up for as long as some are suggesting in this thread. If you're "sprinting" for 5 minutes, you are NOT sprinting.

Word. Whenever I do HIIT, I start off with a slow jog around the track to warmup. Then, I sprint for 100m, walk back, and repeat 7-8 times until I throw up or pass out, whichever comes first.

 

[leatherface]

My HIIT is very high intensity. I like to sprint for about 10 seconds(just about as long as you can maintain a FULL out sprint), then jog for about 20, walk for 30. repeat about 12 times or so, just depends.

 

[anthrax]

The way I do HIIT is sprint for 30secs and then jog for 30secs and continue that for 15minutes.

Very efficient
Very tiring
But not for beginners

 

[Nonerz]

I'm thinking diet is the key to losing fat...at least moreso than tweaking your cardio.

In saying that, if you're doing that much of the same type of cardio, your body is going to adapt anyhow. I teach kickboxing 3 times a week now and it that's no problem for me...now put me in a spin class and I'm getting beat up! There's no one right answer...just keep mixing it up, train hard, and keep your diet in check.

 

[Moen]

And what's up with 'medium' intensity cardio, the classical 60-70% heartrate 30-45 mins on a bike ?

 

[Nonerz]

sounds boring...but that's just me!

 

[anthrax]

I'm thinking diet is the key to losing fat...at least moreso than tweaking your cardio.

In saying that, if you're doing that much of the same type of cardio, your body is going to adapt anyhow. I teach kickboxing 3 times a week now and it that's no problem for me...now put me in a spin class and I'm getting beat up! There's no one right answer...just keep mixing it up, train hard, and keep your diet in check.

You'll also adapt to your diet

Nevertheless you're plain right, you need to change your "plans" (diet, training, duration, intensity, etc) when you get used to

 

[Aerojaxx]

High intensity is to me not defined as your absolute fastest sprint....true you cannot sprint for a duration of time....but for me if I go as hard as I can for 5 min, slow 5 min and then 5&5 once again...it works for me....and I find that my time for a full sprint is increasing...

When I started this I was 235 - 25%bf.....that was 3 months ago....I do 15-20 min each night prior to my workout and I am now 225 - 14%bf....of course I have modified my diet as well, however, not that drastically....

 

[Destroyer1986*]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Destroyer1986*
The way I do HIIT is sprint for 30secs and then jog for 30secs and continue that for 15minutes.


Very efficient
Very tiring
But not for beginners

I agree,
The way a beginner should start off with this is do 3 training sessions a week preferably your day off from weight training. For your first week you should sprint for 30 secs then Jog for 30 secs for 4mins. Then the last session of the week(3rd session) increase it by 1 minute. So you would be doing 5 minutes on the last session. Always add one minute to your last session.

 

[jenny27]

this is what i did today:

walk-moderate pace(4 min)
jog-(3 min)
fast run-not going all out as in a sprint but running at a fast pace getting my heart rate way up there (1 min)
walk (3 min)
fast run (1 min)
jog (2 min)
fast run (1 min)
slow walk (1 min)
fast run (1 min)
jog (4 min)
walk/cooldown (5 min+)

what do u guys think?

 

[Bulldog_10]

bebass is a loser

LOL...what in the?

 

[Destroyer1986*]

What do you guys consider a fast sprint 110+ RPM .

 

[bebasshomeisafatmanboob]

i am bebasshome's manboobs

 

[anthrax]

What do you guys consider a fast sprint 110+ RPM .

I'd rather say >170 (for me actually, b/c it depends on your age, physical health, etc)