High Intensity Vs Low Intensity Cardio

This is the question people argue about all the time: should I do high intensity or low intensity cardio? I'll give an answer that you might not want to hear: it depends.

What are your goals? That's the big question. If you want to be able to run a 10-mile marathon, then low intensity is the way to go. If you want to be a good sprinter, high intensity is boss. If your goal is to lose weight, which it probably is (otherwise you probably know what to do), then you're in the right place.

Consider jogging on the treadmill. Probably you've done this, and you might even do it a lot. If you watch the calories you burn, it will go something like this: 1..........2..........3..........

Half an hour later, you might have burned about 300-400 calories. Isn't that great? Well, maybe... but soon after you quit jogging your heart rate goes back down to normal and you stop burning calories. At about 3,500 calories per pound, you might lose a pound in a week or two. And then go celebrate by going to the buffet.

But what about high intensity cardio? Say you run on the treadmill for 10 minutes, or jog on an incline. Your heart rate goes up a lot higher, so even with less time you did more work. Plus, with high intensity cardio your metabolism will increase, and you'll burn more calories for several hours after working out than a low intensity jogger.

So for fat loss, higher intensity is the way to go. But, since you probably can't run at full speed on a treadmill at an incline while juggling medicine balls, you can try high intensity interval training (HIIT), which basically means you work hard for a short time (say, 30-60 seconds) and then rest for a short time (another 30-60 seconds). According to some, HIIT is the absolute best way to burn fat.

So how about starting a HIIT program? Work out 3 or 4 days a week for 10-15 minutes. Pick your favourite high intensity cardio (jump rope, sprinting, punching bag, or whatever you want). Start easy, with 30 seconds working and then 60 seconds rest, and push yourself as hard as you can in those 30 seconds.

Once you get better you can decrease the rest time and/or increase the cardio time until you're doing 60 seconds of cardio with 30 seconds rest.

Do high intensity cardio or HIIT regularly and you'll watch your weight loss take off.

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