High intensity cardio for a short session or LI 45 min?

[will86]

Hey, after experimenting i feel as if doing high intensity cardio for quick 30 second spurts mixed with low intensity cardio for 20 minutes seem to be more productive than doing LI cardio for 45 minutes, anybody feel the same? Also, if you do cardio right after you ate something, you burn carbs, protein, than fat correct?

[scottninpo]

most COLLEGE EDUCATED diet and exercise specialists will tell you that fat loss is equal to the total calories burned vs the amount injested, not what micronutrient you burn while doing cardio, i highlight college educated because they are actually taught the biology behind what happens and not what the latest muscle mag says, so doing slow go cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, as a lot of mags promote as the best way to lose fat, is actually not the best way to go, the cortisol levels in your body are highest in the morning, so your body is actually more apt to eat your muscle as well as your fat, what you're talking about is an HIIT cardio routine, here's a good outline for that:

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit_table.asp

[bigsd67]

most COLLEGE EDUCATED diet and exercise specialists will tell you that fat loss is equal to the total calories burned vs the amount injested, not what micronutrient you burn while doing cardio, i highlight college educated because they are actually taught the biology behind what happens and not what the latest muscle mag says, so doing slow go cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, as a lot of mags promote as the best way to lose fat, is actually not the best way to go, the cortisol levels in your body are highest in the morning, so your body is actually more apt to eat your muscle as well as your fat, what you're talking about is an HIIT cardio routine, here's a good outline for that:

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit_table.asp

well i do agree that your body's cortisol levels are the highest in the morning, but you do have to wonder where all of the mags get their info from too. they dont just come up with things totally out of thin air....anyways it is my feeling that if you eat properly for the rest of the day then you will not burn muscle if doing cardio in the morning. also the key is to keep your heart rate at 65 - 70% of your max heart rate, which is the fat burning zone.
This is how i've been doing cardio for the last three months and i have only been losing about a pound per week, which is healthy weight loss and my energy and strength has not been sacrificed in the gym. if i was burning muscle than i would be losing strength....i do know that i am a single source for info and i'm not knocking college educated individuals, but i can say that doing cardio on the AM has worked best for ME.

[scottninpo]

i didn't say that slow go cardio doesn't work at burning fat, it does, but there are more effecient(sp) ways of going about it, and yes, muscle mags will print just about anything that the supplement companies will tell them to, don't believe anything you read in a muscle mag

[RoNNy THe BuLL]

If you can't do Low-Intensity AM Cardio on an empty stomach, then later on in the day do High-Intensity or Anaerobic (short bursts) in the PM.

[Brazy]

i didnt an expirement..

first off, im 18 years old.. trained for 2 years, 170ish lbs

i have found i have a relativly high catabolic rate.. dunno if thats the right "terminology".. but i mean is, it is very easy for me to lose my strength.. and i mean VERY EASY.. however, my body is also very adapt to building strength quickly..

i use to do HIIT cardio on an empty stomach.. i found my strength decreased, i lost some fat, but i lost muscle to.. i did not like it that much.

i started eating a protein/carb/fat meal before doing HIIT.. i found i lost a far bit of fat but kept my strength, my strength went up actually.

and than when i came to this board their was a huge debate i started saying 45min cardio in the am is catabolic.. i was a STRONG DISBELEIVER about doing this type of cardio. so i tried it myself.

45min at 65-70% of my max heart rate.. i stick to the lower end, vs going as high as 75%.. works extremely well for me. i do NOT.. i repeat DO NOT lose strength.. i actually slowly climb up in weights every week. i am actually extending my sessions to 60min per morning.

and I DO BELEIVE that some muscle loss may occur as i have read ****loads of science behind this. i forget the exact term its called.. but its a cycle where your turns off catabolic/anabolic mode.

the muscle loss during long duration, low intensity cardio is EXTREMELY minimal. by the time you have your breakfast.. after everything you eat gets digested and used towards muscle repair/growth.. whatever muscle you lost.. VERY MINIMAL is pretty much back.. and than some.. and than all the rest of your protein meals will go towards making you stronger.

and i beleive i am a very good test subject for this because out of anyone i know, i can lose my muscle extremely fast.. if i neglect my protein/carb needs.. i **** you not, i can drop 20lbs on my bench in a week like no bodies business.

i strong beleive that if someone such as myself that is very sensative to muscle breakdown, and if long duration cardio, even at 60min doesnt hinder my progress.. it should work for almost anyone out their.

i am doing a cutting cycle, btw.

[scottninpo]

i hate to tell you, but there is no possible way that you lose muscle so fast that you lose 20lbs on your bench because of it, that probably has a lot more to do with diet, rest, training split, and sheer will, than anything else, if anything, you probably talk yourself into being weaker on the weights before you ever hit the gym, HIIT works best after you have eaten a few meals

either way, this still doesn't address the simple notion that a caloric deficit is what burns fat, in other words you burn more than you injest, so really the only objective of cardio should be total kcals burned, right? well, for me, i'd rather spend 15 minutes a day than 45-60 minutes a day on cardio and get the same results, wouldn't you?

[bigsd67]

there are so many debates on this it seems pointless...i too do cardio in the AM on empty and also have done HIIT after workouts...both times i watched my diet extensively to the point where i was using software to monitor calories and macro nutrients. lately i've been doing the AM thing and have not lost any strength and managed to get stronger regularly. i do a strength training routine and my weights have gone up steadily. all ill say is that you should just do whatever makes you happy. if you think it works for you and you like what you see in the mirror then who the hell cares what some other guy thinks. personally i like to see the results im making and they are coming rapidly. so i will continue to do what i've been doing.

[scottninpo]

that's the smartest **** thing i've ever heard! (i was actually going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it) do what you like as long as it works, for me, i like brief intense workouts where you really have to push yourself, i find the slow go incredibly boring, one thing i really like about HIIT is my leg workouts really benefit from the sprinting

[bigsd67]

that's the smartest **** thing i've ever heard! (i was actually going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it) do what you like as long as it works, for me, i like brief intense workouts where you really have to push yourself, i find the slow go incredibly boring, one thing i really like about HIIT is my leg workouts really benefit from the sprinting

gotta love agreeing with each other...in the end if you are looking at a six pack in the mirror then who cares how you got it...personally my AM cardio gives me energy for the rest of the day....im sure i will give sprinting another go in the future, i did enjoy doing it as well. the beauty of the USA, you can do whatever the hell you want (except show your nipple on live TV )