HIIT or Long Runs for fat loss while building muscle?

O.P.H

Firstly sorry in advance if this topic has been bet to death here, been reading some things and just wanted advice from peeps here.

So if your overall aim is to get bigger and lose fat while doing it (I know there is a contradiction there), which method of cardio best compliments your weights?

I'm doing heavy compound weights every second day and cardio on days in between. My cardio has pretty much been long runs, like 30 to 40 mins, simply because I like getting out doing long runs and find HIIT not as enjoyable, but apparently for losing fat and not causing negative effects to your muscle gains, HITT is the way to go? Been told long runs wont burn fat as effectively as HIIT and that long runs done in conjunction with a weights routine actually hinder size gains?

boomtown84

do both.

d'Oracle

Out of curiosity (or rather to clarify things for anybody who might be willing to offer an answer) how long are your long runs?

O.P.H

O.P.H wrote: »

My cardio has pretty much been long runs, like 30 to 40 mins

King of Kings

firstly i find the theory of cardio eating your muscle mass is quite over rated.

secondly if you don't like HIIT don't do it - do training that you enjoy .
You wouldn't do a sport you didn't like so why a form of cardio you don't.

I think cardio is important so do some but If you're doing something you don't like you'll give up

paulmclaughlin

O.P.H wrote: »

I think he means distance.

O.P.H

Oh right, well I would guess it at being approx 5 miles, def no less than that, but my pace is relaxed normal jogging pace for about 30 to 40 mins

AntiVirus

King of Kings wrote: »

firstly i find the theory of cardio eating your muscle mass is quite over rated.

secondly if you don't like HIIT don't do it - do training that you enjoy .
You wouldn't do a sport you didn't like so why a form of cardio you don't.

I think cardio is important so do some but If you're doing something you don't like you'll give up

I have to agree with King of Kings on this, as long as you're eating well and not starving you will not burn muscle. There's a ton of stuff written on the internet about this. If you're enjoying your 5mile runs I'd just stick with the 5mile runs.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/202524-does-running-burn-fat-or-muscle/

Oh and 15 miles per week is not a huge amount of running

Mellor

O.P.H wrote: »

Oh right, well I would guess it at being approx 5 miles, def no less than that, but my pace is relaxed normal jogging pace for about 30 to 40 mins

You guess could be off imo.

5 miles (8km) is 30 mins isn't a relaxed normal jogging pace, very few people can achieve this. Even in 40 mins, its a decent pace.

I suggest you measure it, in the car or on mapmyrun.com, as I'd be surprised if you weren't over estimating what 5 miles is

O.P.H

Oh right, now that I think, its prob less than 5 cause the I used to run what I knew was a 5 mile route last summer and it took me 40 to 45 mins actually. My run now takes me 35 mins but I cant measure it cause its a cross country track.

optimistic_

If you've got a smartphone get yourself RunKeeper,

Great for distance measuring, pace etc. And yeah, 5 miles at 40 minutes is a decent enough pace. Think i normally do it in 42 to 43 on flat road.