HIIT Question

paydirt

paydirt

New member
My current cardio workout burns about 300 calories. I weigh 196# and run at about 5.1 mph for about 24 mins. My HR is above 160 for at least 16 minutes of the workout and this isn't a problem for me. The only time when high HR is a problem is if I try and keep it around 180 for an extended time (which I'm not doing any more).

I am having trouble seeing why HIIT would be an improvement for me. Is it going to preserve muscle mass better than a steady high HR? Is the sprinting basically pushing the body harder?

I dunno, I'm 40# overweight and I feel like a stud (feel great and graceful) when I run. No problems with keeping a high HR, why change? Is it a difference in what the body does in recovery?

I think that HIIT would burn less calories for me during the workout than a high HR steady state (guessing 200 vs 300), but the whole freaking out the body of HIIT might make up for that?
 
IM not 100% but I believe hit is were you run as hard as you can for 1 minute... then slow pace for 2 minutes... run as hard as you can for 1 minute.... I believe it works for people who do not want to lose alot of mass while running... this way your body isnt shedding weight by keeping your heart rate up making you lose weight... IM pretty sure im not 100%. But it makes sense for alot of the people wanting to keep muscle mass doing this because it is not making you shed pounds but instead a decent cardio exercise while maintaining the muscle....
 
Sorry I wasn't more clear. I know what HIIT is from reading the Diet thru Exercise Forum. I guess what my question is:

Does HIIT preserve muscle mass more than a sustained high HR workout?

Does the person burn more calories with HIIT vs sustained high HR over the course of 24-48 hours due to a difference in how the body responds to HIIT as the body recovers?
 
Does the person burn more calories with HIIT vs sustained high HR over the course of 24-48 hours due to a difference in how the body responds to HIIT as the body recovers?

Does HIIT preserve muscle mass more than a sustained high HR workout?
Click to expand...

I take it you've heard of Clarence Bass, “Mr. Ripped”, an advanced-aged bodybuilder who probably carries body fat in the single digit figures year round. I'll give my source of reference in a minute, but Clarence looked at your question in an article entitled "Forget the Fat-Burn Zone".

He cites research done by a group of Canadian scientists, headed by Angelo Tremblay, Ph.D. Tremblay, et al, that compared the results of an Endurance Training (ET) program versus High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on fat loss (I'm taking ET to mean the same as what you refer to as a high HR workout):

“As you might expect, the total energy cost of the ET program was substantially greater than the HIIT program. The researchers calculated that the ET group burned more than twice as many calories while exercising than the HIIT program. But (surprise, surprise) skin-fold measurements showed that the HIIT group lost more subcutaneous fat. ‘Moreover,’ reported the researchers, ‘when the difference in the total energy cost of the program was taken into account..., the subcutaneous fat loss was nine-fold greater in the HIIT program than in the ET program.’ In short, the HIIT group got 9 times more fat-loss benefit for every calorie burned exercising.”

Clarence then gives us the researcher’s bottom line as to why this might be: " ‘[Metabolic adaptations resulting from HIIT] may lead to a better lipid utilization in the post-exercise state and thus contribute to a greater energy and lipid deficit.’ In other words, compared to moderate-intensity endurance exercise, high-intensity intermittent exercise causes more calories and fat to be burned following the workout. Citing animal studies, they also said it may be that appetite is suppressed more following intense intervals.”

As for the second question about preserving muscle mass...

"In an interview with Dr. Pat O’Shea (author of ‘Quantum Strength and Power Training’), Clarence poses the following question: “… Would the Tabata protocol of high-intensity intervals be good for bodybuilders who want to preserve muscle mass while losing fat?”

To which Dr. O’Shea responds:

“The answer is definitely a big yes … short-term intense interval training is highly effective in altering the ratio of lean body mass to fat without compromising muscle size. Intense interval work is an excellent way of losing weight while simultaneously getting ripped for peak contest shape.”

Of course though, the best way to preserve muscle mass is to incorporate resistance exercise in your workouts.
 
Nice link.

Cool, I will do some HIIT starting tonight and let y'all know how it goes. I will post within a couple of weeks with whatever short-term results. If I don't post, you can assume I face-planted myself into the treadmill.

I think I will have to do it w/o my MP3 player since I will be playing with the treadmill, won't need other things distracting me.
 
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