Joel, thanks for the post. I’m for results… so no slow ‘cardio bunnies’ for me! Over time, I’ve worked my way into HIIT as I’ve gotten into better shape. It is also a mindset going into the cardio workouts (a lot of ppl hate ‘cardio’)… it’s all how we view/see things which largely determines the outcome. \
Thanks for sharing! Some great posts everyone!
Over the next week or so we’re going to be talking quite a bit about metabolic resistance training (i.e. “cardio with weights”), but before we do I want to address something that slightly concerned me when reading through some of the comments that came in on yesterday’s “empty stomach” cardio post.
Apparently, many people are still stuck doing long duration, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise — yikes!
Here’s the deal: if you’re looking to achieve maximal benefit from the time you put into your workouts, long duration “slow-go” cardio is NOT the way to go, and for many reasons.
Here are my top 5:
1. Minimal calories burned — 45 minutes on the treadmill may burn a whopping 300 calories if you’re lucky, the equivalent of ONE TENTH of a pound of fat. Exercise ten hours a week and you might just lose a pound!
Which brings me to my next point:
2. Way too much time involved — I don’t know about you, but I don’t have hours and hours of my time to pour into working out each week. In fact, very rarely do I ever exceed three hours of exercise weekly, and you know what? That’s ALL you need.
Beyond that, slow-go cardio is:
3. BORING as heck — Sitting on an exercise bike staring at the wall in front of me for 45-60 minutes? No thanks.
But perhaps even worse is the fact that slow-go cardio provides:
4. No prolonged metabolic benefit — Did you know that with higher intensity exercise it is possible to continue to burn calories for up to 48 hours post workout? It’s true (and we’ll be discussing this “afterburn” effect in another post very soon). But you know what else is true? Long duration, low intensity cardio provides virtually NO prolonged elevation in metabolism. In fact, with slow-go cardio, metabolism returns to baseline almost IMMEDIATELY following the exercise session.
And finally, the reason that trumps all the others:
5. Minimal fat loss — Minimal calories burned during the session and virtually no additional calories burned afterward = minimal, if any fat loss results. And let’s be honest, the only reason anyone is doing cardio is for the “result”.
So if slow-go cardio isn’t a great solution, what is?
Short duration, high-intensity exercise. Less time, faster results — THAT’S what it’s all about.
And keep in mind, “high intensity” is relative to you. I don’t care if you’re already in great shape or if you’re 40 lbs overweight, you can exercise with intensity.
So what about you? Are you stuck doing slow-go cardio or have you embraced the benefit of much shorter, higher intensity sessions?
Give me at least 750 comments and I’ll be back to talk about short duration, high intensity exercise in more detail tomorrow.
Talk to you in the comments section,
Joel
P.S. Want to learn 3 other specific fat-burning tips that you can start using today? Check out the below link:
==> What “special” foods can boost fat-burning by 207%?
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I have been doing the 1000 calorie challenge and into my 8th week. The best program I have ever done. I don’t have a lot of weight to lose but want to tone and increase fitess and the workouts really challenge. I am seeing results and loving it. Interval training keeps me motivated and having someone timing the intervals encourages me to go hard until the end of each section. Congratulations on developing such a fantastic program.
I completely agree with you. I try to educate sooo many people that aren’t seeing any results and continue to do cardio day in day out. When I tell them that resistant training with weights and interval training at high intensity is the way to go they just look at me like I have 3 heads and think that any weight lifting will make them bulky. Its quite frustrating to listen too grrr
I agree. I believe it is all about timing. If you walk on a treadmil first thing in the morning, or after a weight training session you can get great results. I have been doing it for years and continue to get great results. I do also lite HIIT, because it is short and a great burn, that can burn calories for 24 hrs or more. I workout with alot of natural bodybuilders who use the slow cardio durations to cut fat and it works wonders for them also. Resistance training + Cardio + Clean Eating will equal great results.
I don’t know why low-intensity cardio is being slammed here by you Joel, i thought we discussed it in relation to excercise on an empty stomach?? I think that if you train (cardio, no weights) on an empty stomach and you want to lose weight then low-intensity cardio is the best sollution. And in the article above you talk about long sessions of 45 minutes but that isn’t that long for cardio session is it? I mean if you do a high intensity cardio session for 20 minutes (80-90% max.heartrate) en someone else does a low-intensity cardio session for 45 minutes (60-70% max heartrate) I think the absolute total of calories won’t give a hugh difference plus the fact that the person that does the high-intensity cardio has eaten en if detract does calories from the calories he extra burned compared to the other person the difference is even more less, but for someone that does his session on an empty stomach I think the low-intensity session is better. But I agree that it’s better to eat and do a short intense (interval) cardio session because the so called aftherburn is longer. But somethimes you don’t always get through to people and make them understand that if they want to lose weight some people have to eat more en spread it better over the day, to boost their methabolism. You explain it to them and they understand it but somehow they go back to their own believe that they have to eat less and cardio on an emprt stomach, and then I think you should advise them to go for a low-intensity cardio session
Will high intensity training help me increase my endurance for running a mile? Because I just started running again and I am really out of shape and before I stopped running I could run a mile in less than 8 minutes at 208 lbs. now I am 270 lbs and I can barely run a lap because I started lifting weights and stopped running. my main goal right now is to loose weight(around 50 lbs. ) and be able to run a mile nonstop once again.
Intensity = doing as much as you can, as fast as you can, for as long as you can, in as perfect form as you can.
ex benchpress 90% of 1 rep max as many times as possible in as short time as possible with as good form as you are able.
at least that is my two cents on intensity.
Hi
Totally agree about your comments on long cardio workouts,i have been doing interval training for the last year and a half and the results have been tremendous,i can not see my abs for the first time in 50years.I normally do 5min warm up then 10 sets of 45secs between 17.5 km/hr and 18km/hr walk for 45 seconds at 6.6km/hr this takes about 25 mins including warm down,i also use the bike,row machine and the cross trainer doing the same sets just to change things around every few weeks,but i normally use the treadmill,the good thing about interval training is you are still burning calories up to 36hrs after your wokout
totally agree with you janelle,your 25 mins doing intervals will burn more calories for longer, than someone doing long cardio for an hour
Hi everyone
I do interval cardio on ecliptical machine and I do it at maximum level (1 to 15, I choose 15). I run in a modate pace (with a watt of 250 -275 per sec.) for 3 minutes and then I run as fast as I can (with a watt of 700-750 per sec.) for 30-45 secs. In about 35-40 minutes the monitor shows of burning 1000 calories. (My heart rate changes between 125-150 per minute) Is it possible? What do you think?
@ Joel Marion:
This is to reply to A. I totally agree with you. I use my treadmill for about 45 minutes usually every day. I walk for 5 min, then a slow jog for 4 min and then a run for 1 min, I do that for 45 minutes and feel like I’m getting a good workout. I was under the impression that is what intervals are. It’s never boring for me since I have my treadmill in front of my TV. Sometimes I turn on my 60’s music and workout to that. I have a weight machine and try to use it a few times a week. It’s really tough right now though, we live in SD and it’s very cold (-10 below zero at times) and our house isn’t finished yet upstairs so there is no heat. It get’s pretty cold and hard to exercise wearing insulated coveralls. Hopefully we’ll have it done by next winter. Meanwhile, I’ll keep on my treadmill.
Makes sense. It’s only when I do regular cardio workouts that make me break a sweat in an air-conditioned gym that I begin to see and feel a difference in my body.
In regards to cardiovascular training, I use an interval program. 5 minute warm up, 1 minute run as fast as I can, followed by a 2 minute moderate run. I repeat the intervals at least 5 times and end with a 5 minute cool down and stretching routine. It takes about 20 minutes and I can use my imagination on my 1 minute sprint. I imagine someone is chasing me, or I am chasing some one, etc… In addition once a week a run a timed mile. If I do not beat my personal best time, I must then run another mile. So far I have not had to run that second mile.
@ Mario Platt:
Agree completely and totally with this post. Here’s a similar article on the matter. Takes a bit of Mike Robertson’s work and also talks about long distance cardio from an injury and strength perspective.
http://educateyourtraining.net/2009/09/29/sorting-through-the-clutter-part-i-distance-running/
Hi Joel…Wow, Can I really have been that fooled for so long? Why does it seem as if runners never have a weight problem? I mean doesnt slow-go cardio help with cellulite if you are eating properly? And if you are a home exerciser, what can you do for cardio? I know that Ive asked a lot of questons, but I want this fat off my bod!
Greetings,
Here is a curious problem: I exercise every day, generally about 2 hours per day (I like the way it makes me feel): some days I do treadmill and elliptical machine for half an hour to 45 minutes plus some weights and I alternate that with other days: treadmill and elliptical machine for half an hour, and a pilates, yoga or boot camp class (weight lifting and body movement cardio combined). The result? I am 15 lbs overweight (according to my doctor). We did thyroid exams and such, and she believes that I release huge amounts of stress hormones (I am a performer so life can get a bit stressful). What possibly could help me with that?
Kind regards.
Maria
I started moderate intensity training nine months ago and I finally see results; I have more energy to get through life again. Being out all day with the kids or doing a huge gardening/landscaping project is no big deal anymore. I could not even get through my workouts at first and now I’m still strong at the end. With results like this, I can be sure I’m on the right path. Plus, it is so much more fun and interesting. I lost 20 lbs and reduced my waist line about 2″. I am doing moderate intensity cardio training 3-4 times a week for 40-45 minutes per session.
@ Duke:
Maybe they just enjoy it. Going on the exercise bike is a good way to do controlled heart rate exercise in climate-controlled conditions – not the same as jumping on a MTB for 10-20km!!! You can go for the slow burn, intervalz, warm ups or cool down. I’ve always found riding for a while helps with recovery and post-weight training soreness provided it’s done gently ;-)
Seriously???? I was just told by three different fitness trainers in three different locations that I would better off burning fat by doing slow and steady cardio for long duration then I would by doing high intensity cardio fitness classes like Spin etc. I AM SO CONFUSED!!! ugh!
@ Joel Marion:
Joel,
What does LISS stand for? Low Intensity…..?? Thanks!
Hey Joel,
Thanks so much for your blogs. I appreciate the info that you provide and I look forward to learning some more from you tomorrow.
Thank you and God bless
Hi Joel, this is great, it’s really good to be reminded, that what we have ingrained in us, to do long sessions of cardio, is not necessarily the most effective. I am currently on day 14 of the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet, and it’s recommended to do 30 mins of “lower intensity cardio” at 80-85% MHR. But to me, 80-85% seems like pretty high intensity! Please explain, thanks!
Thanks for the Blog and don’t get discouraged by some of the negative comments. A lot of us listen to you because … You have results and I do believe your intention is to help. Keep the tips and pifalls coming. Thank You!
I do high intensity cardio with low intensity between and it works!
Yep, HIIT is for me. Lost 13 kgs this year (and still going) and have not done a single minute of slow cardio. I go for a walk if I want to relax and get some fresh air. Looking forward to your next post Joel.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...