Low Intensity Steady State Cardio Vs High Intensity Interval Training

Fitness and getting healthy mean different things to different people. For those looking to bulk up and increase strength, an emphasis on weight lifting is ideal. However, if you are among the many carrying a little more weight than you want to, or those simply looking to tone your body a bit more, cardiovascular workouts are essential. Once you begin your journey to better health, you will also discover there are two vastly different schools of thought for your cardiovascular exercise routines, Low Intensity Steady State Cardio and Hight Intensity Interval Training. We will compare and contrast both of these to help you determine which one will work best for you.

What is Low Intensity Steady State Cardio?

LISS or Low Intensity Steady State Cardio is a concept in which a steady level of cardio is achieved over a longer duration. Examples of this type of exercise includes running, briskly walking, swimming, and cycling. The notion is that lower intensity workouts over a longer period of time help you achieve your health goals without wearing out your body. These exercises can be accomplished by those with certain health concerns and those severely overweight and Low Intensity Steady State Cardio has proven to provide many, substantial health benefits.

Lowers Risk of Heart Disease – Having a steady exercise routine helps lower risk of heart disease. Those who have a history of heart disease in their family can greatly benefit from LISS.

Stress Reducer – Stress is a killer and that is truer in today’s stressful world than ever before. Endurance exercises help reduce stress and can impact your mental health while achieving your fitness goals.

Fat Burning Exercise – LISS is a great way to help burn fat. Steadily increasing your time spent on Low Intensity Steady State Cardio exercise will burn fat more effectively when added with a light weight lifting routine.

Appropriate for All Fitness Levels – Certain exercises are only appropriate for those already in great shape. However Low Intensity Steady State Cardio is something that can be done by anyone at any fitness level.

Great for Recovering After Injury – Injuries are a part of life sometimes and it can be difficult to bounce back post injury. LISS cardio is an effective way to make recovery easier on your body.

Training for Endurance Events – Even the healthiest person on the planet may not have the best endurance. It takes time to build endurance and LISS exercises are the best way to train for endurance events of all types.

Recovery After Difficult or Intense Workout – The unique aspect of Low Intensity Steady State Cardio is that it can be used in accordance with other, more intense exercise routines to help your body recover. Running, biking, or swimming is often recommended to those involved in intense workout routines as a means to help their body come down from the exercise slowly as an effective cool down.

What is High Intensity Interval Training?

Unlike Low Intensity Steady State Cardio, High Intensity Interval Training involves short bursts of intense workouts that work to push your body to the limit. Exercises such as intense running, cycling, and others that require a level of high endurance are High Intensity Interval Training exercises or HIIT. An example of HIIT exercise is cycling as fast as possible for as long as possible with a short period of slower cycling between intense durations. 4 to 6 reps are used in Hight Intensity Interval Training and just like LISS cardio, this exercise method has key benefits.

Lots of Calories Burned in a Short Period of Time – Many Factors attract people to High Intensity Interval Training, but possibly one of the biggest benefits is the ability to burn a lot of calories in a very short period of time. Up to 30% additional calories can be used up during HIIT exercises.

Higher Metabolic Rate Hours After Exercising – Research has shown that your metabolic rate remains higher for High Intensity Interval Training than those compared to LISS Cardio.

Great for Fat Loss – Those wanting to lose weight that also are healthy enough to contend with the endurance necessary for the exercise can benefit with increased fat loss from High Intensity Interval Training.

Possibly Gain More Muscle – HIIT can help you increase muscles in your legs due to the high intensity nature of the exercise.

Improves Oxygen Consumption – Your body’s oxygen consumption is based on how well your muscles take in oxygen. Studies show that HIIT exercises can improve your oxygen consumption faster than LISS Cardio.

The type of exercise you choose should be based on your strength level, goals, and what is recommended by your health care physician for those under the care of a doctor. It is important to try out both of these types of exercise varieties and determine what works best for you. Give yourself plenty of time to adjust to a new exercise routine and find exercises that you can get excited about.