FITNESS
•Centr Team
Weight-loss weigh up: cardio, strength or HIIT?
One goal: weight loss. Three styles of training to get you there: cardio, strength training and HIIT.
There are loads of mixed messages out there about the ‘best’ way to exercise to burn fat. So let’s weigh up the unique skills of each competitor in this fat-burning face off to discover how each works differently to get you to your goal.
The reigning champ: Cardio
Cardio has been burning it up (calories, that is) since before you could even tie your shoelaces. Simply put, when our heart rate rises to feed those hard-working muscles with oxygen, we exert more energy, and energy equals calories.
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It’s the simple calories in vs calories out equation for weight loss, and steady-state cardio is the master of this game, really chowing down on the calories in a single session. This can include cardio exercises such as walking, running, swimming and riding a bike, as well as Michael Olajide Jr’s jump rope and boxing combos.
The challenger: Strength training
He’s big, he’s bulky, he’s... strength training, really? Yes, when you’re lifting weights and following a calorie surplus meal plan, the goal is to GAIN weight in the form of lean muscle. But if you’re after fat burn and calorie consumption, you can’t overlook the potential of strength/resistance training to keep you in the fight and help you go the distance.
Why? Because building muscle helps you burn fat in the long run. Did you know that the body needs to work harder (i.e. consume more calories) to maintain muscle mass? Did you also know that after a strength training session, the body goes into a phase of EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), a raised metabolic state, to restore itself back to its pre-exercise mode, burning more calories in the process? Knockout!
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With the added benefits of improved bone density and endurance, better balance, tone and definition, it’s an important addition to an overall weight loss fitness plan. That’s why Luke, Ingrid, Ashley and Da Rulk all use resistance exercises in their workouts. If you just did straight cardio, you’d be missing out on the extra fitness and fat-burn potential of strength training.
The wildcard: HIIT
But wait, the fight’s not over until the final bell rings. In high-intensity interval training (HIIT) we have a wildcard who’ll work smarter, not harder to win you that fat-burning championship belt.
Perfect for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced because its level of intensity can be scaled for your current level of fitness, HIIT raises your heart rate, heats up your muscles and challenges your body to perform at its peak through each work phase.
Because during HIIT you're pushing your body to train at 80-95 percent of your maximum heart rate for short intervals of time, you'll be burning more calories in a 15-minute HIIT session than you would in a 60-minute steady-state cardio session where your heart rate sits in the same zone for the duration. So put your all into Luke, Ingrid, Ashley or Tiff’s HIIT/HIRT training and feel the burn.
Want the benefits of HIIT without the impact? Try Alexz Parvi's HILIT workouts on Centr.
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