Cardio efficiency question.

N00b2fitness

Apologies in advance if this is a dumb question...

I'm a male in my early 30's. On my cardio days, today for example, I completed 20 minutes Treadmill (running at 10.5km/h), 20 mins rower (L10 33rpm) and 20 minutes stepper (L8 Fat Burn).

In my book that constitutes HIIT. Correct? Anyway, that's not my question. My heart rate fluctuates between about 140 / 180 during this exercise. Is this efficient use of my time/energy?

Would I be better off prolonging the exercise time to 1h30 from 1hr and dropping the intensity or heightening the intensity and dropping to a lower workout time... or is the above about right?

Thanks for reading.

Reyman

I think you need to tell us what you're trying to achieve before you can get a diagnosis?

I.E. Are you trying to build your general fitness/endurance, or lose weight?

N00b2fitness

Sure,

Trying to lose weight primarily but also putting some effort into a weights program so hoping to put on a bit of muscle. Wouldn't want the cardio to be negating that in any way - doubt it would. Rather than post up my routine here is a link where I went into some detail before Christmas...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055197968&highlight=progress

Not sure if that helps but there you go.

Colm_OReilly

This post will be harsh

A) That's not HIIT, it's three periods of steady state cardio.

It's not intense. It's long. Intensity is power output, and your power output is pretty low.

C) The Fat burning myth is BS. At low intensities a higher percentage of the energy used at the time comes from fat stores as opposed to other sources. However, at higher intensities more fat is burned in total.

Secondly, a HR rating between in 140-180 is pretty broad, and probably represents a massive variance in intensity.

HR is not an incredibly useful training tool anyway, as it can vary with time of day, stress levels, dehydration levels, and will even vary between different exercises, depending on your efficiency and muscular make up.

hoping to put on a bit of muscle. Wouldn't want the cardio to be negating that in any way

It is. Extended periods of steady state exercise like you're doing puts your body into a catabolic state (starts to break down) and impedes muscle and strength growth.

Interval sprints (100/200/400/800) with about a 2minute break between bouts would be far more beneficial to your goals. If you want to use HR wait until your HR has recovered to 120bpm. If it hasn't in 2mins, call it a day.

Here's some cardio type activities to try:
Row 1000m
50 squats
Row 500m
35 squats
Row 250m
20 squats

As many rounds in 20minutes of
5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats

3 rounds of:
800m run, 50 sit ups, 50 back extensions

As many burpees as possible in 20 minutes

See if these don't get your heart pounding!

Best of luck. If you need any clarification or have any more questions just ask,
Colm

N00b2fitness

That's not harsh, that's exactly the kind of info I was after> I don't profess to be clued in (hence the name) so no harm done to my ego.

Thanks for the feedback - I'll see if I can step up the cardio and incorporate some <cough> real HIIT training next time. Sounds tough and makes total sense! You're a wealth of information thanks again.

21stone

hiit is small intervals of hig intensity training

im reasonably fit regardless of my 21 stone frame

i do 5 min warm up on bike at level 4 then when i hit the 5 mins i go to level 7 or 8 for a min and then bacl to level 4 for a min and then back to level 7 or 8 and back for 12 mins and then the same on treadmill , walk for 5 at 4mph then after 5 mins go up to 9mph for a min etc so i do about 30 mins cardeio after weight training , its designed to only do for 30 mins i think