High Intensity or Low Intensity Cardio!?!?

Ok so the debate goes on as to which method of cardiovascular excercise is the best. Some say that a low-moderate intensity workout with your heartrate at about 60% of your max for a long duration of 45-60mins would be optimal. This method uses fat for energy as opposed to a high intensity cardio workout which uses more muscle and carbohydrates for energy. But then on the other hand if u look at the physique of a sprinter, a marathon runner and a walker, one would start to question which is the supreme method of fat loss... The build of a sprinter is ideal for body builders.....he is muscular and has barely 8% body fat, while the marathon runner has whithered away into nothing from all that long distance high intensity running. And then there is the walker...this person is not in any sort of physical idealism... So than i ask which is the best method for cutting fat. And does it depend on your physical fitness level?....Maybe what is good for a person with 15% BF is not neccesarily the best for a person with 25%. So this thread is here for the members of anabolic review to discuss their experiences with cardio and what may be the ultimate way to reduce fat with out eliminating too much muscle at the same time.

I run track for a Div. II college. 400m So I get lots of cardio in a week. All around, I think that you should mix it up a bit for optimal results. on the track team i have noticed that with the same amount of workout per week, sprints have a higher body fat with more muscle content than the distance runners. Running the 400m and the 800m we do a lot of both. all of the 400m runners have better builds of muscle and bf% than the sprinter and the distance runners. I would like to see what others have to same about this as well.

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Originally Posted by fortherep

if u look at the physique of a sprinter, a marathon runner and a walker, one would start to question which is the supreme method of fat loss... The build of a sprinter is ideal for body builders.....he is muscular and has barely 8% body fat, while the marathon runner has whithered away into nothing from all that long distance high intensity running. And then there is the walker...this person is not in any sort of physical idealism... So than i ask which is the best method for cutting fat. .

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you took the words right out of my mouth........i ask myself that all the time.........everyones like walking on an incline at your target heart rate will burn more fat.....o well tho..........im a long distance runner........and i'll always keep to my 5+ miles high intensity cardio workout......it works for me

intressting thread !

Both forms of cardio have its place for somoene looking to achieve a lean and muscular look. Low intensity goes right to the heart of the matter while high intensity interval training proves to be an effective fat burner during periods of rest. I usually switch it up and take turns doing long fast paced walks (on an incline) and running sprints in an open field. And a sprinter's physique does not come from just sprinting. Most of those guys are blessed with unbelievable genetics and natural athletic abilities.

so i have been doing about 45 mins of cardio regularly, every morning on an empty stomach. Today this guy i know started talking about how i should eat before i excercise. Is there and validity to this?

yes...i agree

if you do any cardio............. you have 1/2 the battle won............