Steady State Cardio - Good News

[drtbear1967]

For the last several years steady-state cardio has been the redheaded stepchild of the fitness community, with most people rallying around high-intensity interval training for its purported benefit of burning more calories in a shorter period of time. A new study published in The Journal of Strength And Conditioning Research shows that HIIT might not be the magic calorie-burning bullet everyone thinks it is.


Researchers examined the number of calories burned during exercise and the three hours afterward when a group of recreational athletes performed three separate workouts: Steady-state cardio for 30 minutes, HIIT (four four-minute intervals with three minutes between), and sprint training (six 30-second efforts.) At the end of the experiment, the researchers found that even taking into account the much-hyped “afterburn effect” that comes with HIIT, the steady-state group burned just as many calories as those who participated in more intense cardio.


With all of the health-promoting and restorative effects of submaximal cardio, it might be time to start going long and slow(ish) a few times a week.

 

[LeatherHead]

That's good news, since that's how I like doing my cardio.

 

[TheHeidikins]

I hate doing my cardio, so I divide it into HIIT and steady state (and try to get reading done during it lol) just to keep it interesting. Good to know that the steady state may be equally effective!

 

[drtbear1967]

I think that Hitt has it's place, but when you start having joint issues, especially as you get older, it is good to know that steady state cardio still gets it done.

 

[TheHeidikins]

I think that Hitt has it's place, but when you start having joint issues, especially as you get older, it is good to know that steady state cardio still gets it done.

Agreed!!

I broke my fib/tib about 5 years ago. I have a titaniun rod through the whole length of my tib and a plate that goes from my ankle to about 1/3 of the way up my tib. Even though I'm fully recovered, I still can't do any kind of higher impact for any real length of time without feeling soreness around the plate and my knee (where they shoved the rod in through - shudder!!). It sucks, but I work around it.

 

[drtbear1967]

My knees are shot along with my lower back, so I do good just to walk. On good days, LOL