subject: Interval Training For More Fat Loss [print this page] In this article I want to compare traditional long, slow cardio with interval training for fat loss. From a fat loss standpoint, the more calories you burn, the better. Let's see how good long, slow cardio and interval training are at burning calories.
Tedious cardio burns more calories during the exercise, but interval training burns more total calories (during and after training) because it makes you burn calories between training sessions since your body use energy to recover from the demanding activity. It's "hard" on your body. Winner: interval training.
Cardio won't help you build muscle mass. On the other hand, interval training does make you gain muscle mass, because to sprint or bike fast you need to demand a lot from your muscles, which builds up the muscle (think of a sprinter). So if you build more muscle, your resting metabolic rate will be higher: interval training makes you burn more calories in the long run as well. Winner: interval training.
The great thing about interval training is that it takes much less time (about 30 minutes per session) than cardio. Winner: interval training.
Interval training isn't perfect, though: it's too hard for beginners. If you're a beginner, you should probably start with some slow jogging first for two weeks, and then experiment with increasing your speed for 5 minutes and then walking for the next 5 minutes. Once that becomes easier, shorten the work interval and increase the speed. Winner: long, slow cardio.
In general, if you're physically fit, interval training is the best choice. But since it takes its toll on the body, nobody (even top athletes) does it more than twice per week. So, to lose fat fast, I suggest a combination of interval training (1-2 times per week) and long, slow cardio (2-3 times per week). Plus it diversifies your training, which keeps it from getting boring. Winner: both.
To sum up, if you want to maximize fat loss, I suggest you do interval training alone on the days you do it, and that you do some weight lifting and then long, slow cardio on the other days you train.
This being said, the specifics of interval training can get tricky. Hopefully I can share with you the method I prefer later. Athletes and smart trainers use interval training: you should try it too.
