Unless you have been living under a rock for the last three-to-four years, you have probably already heard about high intensity interval training. However, one of the biggest questions surrounding this training method is quite difficult to find an honest answer to - can you build lean muscle with it or is it reserved for fat loss workouts?
The old approach, of course, is to do a resistance session and then jump on a bike for some light cardiovascular work to get yourself into the so-called 'fat burning zone'. []
If you are trying to gain size you can get fooled into believing you only need to work hard on the weights, or that cardio work is dull and boring. However, recent studies show that muscle gains were massively increased thanks to the incorporation of HIIT into weekly resistance workouts in place of dull, regular cardiovascular activity.
If you are one of the many people who finds their cardiovascular activity to be somewhat dull and repetitive, the discovery that HIIT can burn significantly more fat while also retaining lean muscle in a superior way to regular cardio should ring like a church bell. This is the news you have been waiting for, after all. Finally, you don't have to sit on the bike for an hour five times per week!
If you are going to make the most of this great training method you need to understand a little about how it works. How many times have you seen bodybuilders jump onto bikes after a weight lifting session and pedal for upwards of 45 minutes to burn off body fat? This approach is now also considered to be yesterday's advice. Not only should they be doing high intensity cardio, they should be doing it prior to their weights. If you have been training for a while, this news will probably be a major shock to you because despite the fact there's a wealth of proof to back this approach up, most people do their cardiovascular work after resistance training.
A Canadian study found that cardio exercise followed by weight training was vastly superior to doing it afterwards, both for fat loss and lean muscle retention. This study dates back to 2001, but was vastly under-reported and so it went under the radar of many trainers.
One of the worst mistakes made with HIIT is the temptation to overdo it. Suddenly you have this wonderful fat loss tool in your hands and you will want to use it all the time. It's only beneficial when you are at your full ability, so try to limit your HIIT workouts to no more than four days of the week on average.
Furthermore, research shows that high intensity interval training burns of 6 times as much fat as regular cardiovascular activity, making it a sensible choice if you are trying to figure out how to build muscle while maximizing your fat loss in the process.
The old approach, of course, is to do a resistance session and then jump on a bike for some light cardiovascular work to get yourself into the so-called 'fat burning zone'. []
If you are trying to gain size you can get fooled into believing you only need to work hard on the weights, or that cardio work is dull and boring. However, recent studies show that muscle gains were massively increased thanks to the incorporation of HIIT into weekly resistance workouts in place of dull, regular cardiovascular activity.
If you are one of the many people who finds their cardiovascular activity to be somewhat dull and repetitive, the discovery that HIIT can burn significantly more fat while also retaining lean muscle in a superior way to regular cardio should ring like a church bell. This is the news you have been waiting for, after all. Finally, you don't have to sit on the bike for an hour five times per week!
If you are going to make the most of this great training method you need to understand a little about how it works. How many times have you seen bodybuilders jump onto bikes after a weight lifting session and pedal for upwards of 45 minutes to burn off body fat? This approach is now also considered to be yesterday's advice. Not only should they be doing high intensity cardio, they should be doing it prior to their weights. If you have been training for a while, this news will probably be a major shock to you because despite the fact there's a wealth of proof to back this approach up, most people do their cardiovascular work after resistance training.
A Canadian study found that cardio exercise followed by weight training was vastly superior to doing it afterwards, both for fat loss and lean muscle retention. This study dates back to 2001, but was vastly under-reported and so it went under the radar of many trainers.
One of the worst mistakes made with HIIT is the temptation to overdo it. Suddenly you have this wonderful fat loss tool in your hands and you will want to use it all the time. It's only beneficial when you are at your full ability, so try to limit your HIIT workouts to no more than four days of the week on average.
Furthermore, research shows that high intensity interval training burns of 6 times as much fat as regular cardiovascular activity, making it a sensible choice if you are trying to figure out how to build muscle while maximizing your fat loss in the process.
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More help - Uncover the facts behind high intensity interval training as strength coach Russ Howe PTI explains to you how to build muscle using the most research backed methods, all for free via his fitness blog.
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