Benefits of Cardio Training
Running, swimming, cycling, rowing – there are a ton of ways to get your cardio fix. But is one better than the other? Let’s find out!
While most people think that intense weight training or longer-duration endurance training is best for burning calories and fat, research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be far more effective for both these outcomes. HIIT is also far easier to fit into our busy schedules because it takes much less time. Recent research shows that short, high-intensity training sessions that include both strength and cardio-based exercises can help you burn more fat than longer workouts with less intensity. In fact, HIIT burns up to 25 times more visceral (abdominal) fat than traditional cardio, making it the ideal way to lose belly fat.
HIIT has also been shown to be just as effective as continuous endurance training for improving cardiovascular fitness – but with a lot less effort. These types of workouts combine bursts of high exertion (such as running or cycling at your max speed) with brief periods of rest. Sessions generally last from 20 to 90 minutes and are especially effective when done seven days a week. While you can run/bike/swim laps or sprint for an hour to achieve the same benefits, this type of multitasking allows you to do both cardio and strength training in the same workout – or even alternating between the two.
HIIT also provides a huge endurance boost. A recent study found that doing just 2-3, 20-minute HIIT sessions per week was as beneficial for improving cardiovascular fitness as running or cycling 2-3 times a week at moderate speeds for an hour each time. It’s also more effective at boosting your metabolism than regular cardio. One study found that complete metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn throughout the day) is increased 25% for up to 24 hours after a HIIT workout, versus a traditional steady-state session. This means your body is burning more calories while you’re at rest – not only during the workout. Another study showed that subjects who performed just 2-3 HIIT workouts a week for 3 weeks lost an average of 0.2% body fat, while their counterparts doing moderate cardio lost 0.1%.
HIIT also helps to fight disease. Mice fed a high-fat diet developed a completely new type of fatty liver when they were put on a HIIT treadmill. The fat-livers had electrical signals from the liver that looked like those in type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome; this could mean that HIIT may help to prevent the onset of these diseases. Another study found that 24 weeks of HIIT training improved blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity in participants with prediabetes better than did traditional cardio exercise, without any changes in body weight or total body fat. And in another study, overweight participants who followed a weight loss diet combined with 30 minutes per week of HIIT lost about 3 times the amount of belly fat as people who did 30 minutes per week of traditional cardio alone.
Finally, HIIT has been shown to boost your “feel-good” endorphins. A study found that people who exercise long enough and hard enough – and especially those who do HIIT – become happy. It also helps you burn more calories during the rest of the day, meaning you feel less hungry and can eat fewer calories.
So, how can you incorporate HIIT into your routine? Here are some tips to get you started:
Perform 10-20 minutes of cardio 15-30 minutes before a weight session.
Cardiovascular work (heart rate between 65 and 85 percent of max) can be done using a treadmill or an elliptical machine. Work at a moderate pace or fast enough to raise your heart rate but not so fast that you’re out of breath (or have to take short breaks). If you’re lifting weights, do it after cardio so your muscles are warmed up and your workout lasts longer. You can also use equipment such as step machines, stair climbers, or resistance bands instead of traditional weights if preferred.
Cardiovascular work (heart rate between 65 and 85 percent of max) can be done using a treadmill or an elliptical machine. Work at a moderate pace or fast enough to raise your heart rate but not so fast that you’re out of breath (or have to take short breaks). If you’re lifting weights, do it after cardio so your muscles are warmed up and your workout lasts longer. You can also use equipment such as step machines, stair climbers, or resistance bands instead of traditional weights if preferred. Perform HIIT sessions twice per week for about 30 minutes per session. Alternate cardio routines so both legs get the same workout: run one day, walk/step/bike the next day, etc. Or just alternate which side of your body does the work.
Alternate cardio routines so both legs get the same workout: run one day, walk/step/bike the next day, etc. Or just alternate which side of your body does the work. Do 5 exercises – 4 sets of 10-15 reps – at each session and perform them in this order: squats, horizontal pushups, vertical squats, vertical pushups, lunges or stepup. High-intensity drills such as burpees or suicides can be done at the end of each set instead of every set if your workout is long enough.
– 4 sets of 10-15 reps – at each session and perform them in this order: squats, horizontal pushups, vertical squats, vertical pushups, lunges or stepup. High-intensity drills such as burpees or suicides can be done at the end of each set instead of every set if your workout is long enough. Take very brief rest periods between sets (20-60 seconds).
between sets (20-60 seconds). Perform two HIIT sessions per week for optimal fat loss. This will help you burn more calories while you’re at rest and keep your metabolism burning hot for several hours after the workout is over.
This will help you burn more calories while you’re at rest and keep your metabolism burning hot for several hours after the workout is over. Use HIIT training to add variety to your workouts. You can do 10-minute sessions twice a week, or perform brief bouts of HIIT in place of cardio throughout the week for a different challenge. If you want to lose weight, increase the number of workouts per week to two or three per week so that the volume of exercise is high enough to trigger changes in your body composition.
You can do 10-minute sessions twice a week, or perform brief bouts of HIIT in place of cardio throughout the week for a different challenge.
Conclusion
HIIT is the best way to torch fat and build muscle. It can be done while you’re at rest, as a pre-workout or even post-workout cardio routine. And you don’t even need to be fit or in great shape to do it; anyone can do it regardless of age, weight, fitness level or gender. You can learn more about HIIT workout plans here.