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HIIT Vs Regular Cardio

smanind Posts: 11 Joined: 2001/11/20	2002/09/20, 05:50 PM Previously I did 45 min of Elliptical cardio and was burning about 450 calorie I tried HIIT using the elliptical for 20 min, but I burn only 280 calories. I'm burning 200 calories less, then how come HIIT is effective then the usual cardio. May be I'm missing something Please help me out guys!!
smithjls Posts: 29 Joined: 2002/05/06	2002/10/20, 10:28 AM boy,, I'd like to hear the answer to this one as well. Anyone??
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2002/10/20, 07:29 PM the reason is in the long run. With HIIT cardio, you will burn more all day long, as compared to regular cardio, you burn calories really only so long as you are doing it! See, with HIIT cardio, your intensity is much higher, so your metabloism is stoked more than the standard cardio, so when you stop standard cardio, your fat burning also stops. But on the other hand, with HIIT cardio, some hours later, your metabolic rate is still increased, due to added lean tissue to glutes, hamstrings, calves, lower back, etc. because muscle has a higher metabolic requirement. Thus, over a 24 hour period, you burn more calories at rest just to sustain the added tissue. It is like seeing the difference between a marathon runner and a sprinter. Which is more muscular? Which is burning more calories? The sprinter does short bursts of quick hard all out work. The marathon runner runs at a pace all the time. Hope this helps somewhat. Kind of long...
Philia2 Posts: 4,078 Joined: 2001/10/19	2002/10/21, 02:07 AM Yep, listen to bb1, he got everything right. While doing HIIT you'll get other chemical reactions in your body (mostly because of the lack of oxygen). The very best choice (which will give you the best results as well!) is to vary between HIIT and long lasting endurance training. -------------- - Nina :o) Les Victoires éternelles sont celles du coeur.
jplatz Posts: 196 Joined: 2002/10/08	2002/10/21, 11:41 AM Thank you bb1fit. I've been wondering about that myself and you've cleared that fog. -------------- The meek shall inherit the Earth, but the strong and muscular will carry them through it! That which does not kill me can only make me stronger.
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2004/03/26, 01:14 PM bump:big_smile:
natas2000 Posts: 9 Joined: 2004/03/02	2004/03/28, 06:27 PM I'm really trying to figure this out. You guys are saying hit cardio is better than regular. Thats great. But then I'm hearing that cardio of any kind isnt great to lose weight especially if you start weight training. I'm totally confused. I lift or try to, Friday to Monday hitting each part of the body. Tuesday I dont do anything. Wednesday and Thursday I do cardio only. On lifting days I do about 15 to 20 minutes of cardio also. I would like to do HITT. But is cardio not going to do anything? And I need to still lose about 50lbs. But mainly I want to become fit.
scejas Posts: 16 Joined: 2004/01/31	2004/03/28, 11:32 PM Guys I don't know the technical reasons for why HIIT works but I was at a plateu then started doing hit on the advice of others on this board and I lost 23lbs in the last 8 weeks...
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2004/03/29, 08:02 AM natas2000, Where are you hearing this? Cardio work expends calories and creating a calorie deficit is how you lose weight, though not too extreme a deficit. cardiovascular work is also important for heart health. Lifting weights is important also. I don't advise people to do HIIT all of the time, I think you should vary the type and intensity of cardio that you do. But there are people who only do HIIT and realy like it. Keep working out and focus on getting fittwer, the weight will come off. Look to your diet if your routine isn't bringing results. 4 days on and 3 days off for lifting is a different split. Maybe you want to try 4 days lifting, one day off, four days lifting, it may be more effective and if you are hitting one muscle group each workout than you are hitting them every five days, instead of 8 or 9. Do 20 minutes of cardio after you lift and maybe a longer session on a day off. Good luck! -------------- If you fall down seven times, get up eight.