Spinning classes v HIIT treadmil running

Brendain

Hi,
Does anyone know which is better at burning calories - a 45 minutes spin class or a 45 minute High Intensity Interval Training run on a treadmill - (assumming 100% effort in both).

I do 2 or 3 spinning classes a week, but am wondering would it be better spent on the treadmill.

If someone wants to be massively helpful, could they suggest a good 45 min HIIT treadmill workout programme for burning fat / improving fitness. This would be massively appreciated.
(for info. I'm 36, relatively fit, 12 stone.)

Thanks.
Bren

Stench Blossoms

It's kinda hard to say because spinning classes can vary.

If i was in your situation I would get a HRM and see which was burning more calories. Also I'd chop and change between the two doing spinning one week and HIIT the next.

Mellor

A 45 minute session on the treadmill isn't HIIT. It's just intervals. Basically a HIIT session done correctly will tire you out a lot sooner.

The difference between the two in terms of calories will be minor. Very little over a week. So do what ever you prefer, or which you feel like at the time. Diet will be more important than choosing between treadmill or bike

**Timbuk2**

Another factor to consider is that it may be easier to work harder in a group environment, whereas you'll be motivating yourself on the treadmill (which may be fine for some people, but I know I'd work harder being motivated by an instructor/music/other participants etc.).

Brendain

Cheers for the replies.
But to be honest I am more confused than ever after reading this article this evening about how spinning classes are a waste of time.
http://bfit4life.ie/in-a-spin-for-lean-pins/

I am wondering if spinning classes are a complete waste of time as a cardio / fat burning exercise! I wouldn't mind I am usually drenched in sweat at the end of a good spin class!
I must add however I do realise the importance of doing weight resistance and do this also.

SBWife

I really question the knowledge base of someone who claims fat is stored in the legs of people who take a lot of spin classes so it can be close to the muscles used in the activity.

Hanley

SBWife wrote: »

I really question the knowledge base of someone who claims fat is stored in the legs of people who take a lot of spin classes so it can be close to the muscles used in the activity.

Poliquin proposed the idea a while ago. He usually has a basis for what he says. He just tends to take the small insignificant things and go off the absolute end of gigantisism with them to create a USP.

SBWife

It strikes me as typical over complication of what's really happening.

People often over estimate the amount of calories burned doing cardio, including spinning.

They eat more because they think they can afford to, having burned all those calories at spinning class.

They put on weight.

The majority of people who take spinning are female and are therefore for the most part more likely to gain weight on their legs, bum and hips.

If it were mainly men in these classes someone would have to find a theory to explain why the fat was being stored around the middle.

ferike1

I didn't think HIIT was possible to do correctly on a treadmill. I thought the whole idea was going from very fast to almost stationary in each interval. The treadmill doesn't slow down fast enough to correctly to do this?

farmchoice

ferike1 wrote: »

I didn't think HIIT was possible to do correctly on a treadmill. I thought the whole idea was going from very fast to almost stationary in each interval. The treadmill doesn't slow down fast enough to correctly to do this?

you can do it but it takes a bit of practice and its still not perfect. after your sprint interval step of the belt and as you stand there bring the speed down to walking or light jogging and step back on (this will only take 3-5 seconds).

Then when you start back sprinting you have to bring the speed back up as quick as you can, depending on the machine and how fast you're going this can take 10 to 15 seconds you need to factor this time into your rest periods.

Red Cortina

OP do which ever one you enjoy. I absolutely hate spin classes so I would chose the treadmill workout everytime.

Either way as someone else has said it will be diet for the most part which will determine your body fat levels....

leggit

HIIT on a threadmill is impossible to do properly and really dangerous! You also shouldn't be able to do HIIT for more than 20 minutes (25m max!) or you're not trying hard enough. I've literally had to lay on the ground in the middle of the track after a 20 minute session! The sprint sections should be you running like theres a lion chasing you!

I think both excercises have their merits so why not do both? Do spinning classes one day and do HIIT (outside!!) another day? I always think that changing up and varying routines is one of the keys to progressing with fitness/weight loss/building strength.

gosuckonalemon

I've been doing HIIT on a threadmill and it works ok.

Start off with a 1km warm up.

Restart.

Speed up over 30 seconds to a max speed of 17km/h

Sprint at 17k for 1 min.

Press the stop button, the threadmill slows down gradually, allow this slow down for 5 seconds. (Time freezes during this slow down)

Then increase speed gradually over the course of 30 seconds reaching 17km/h at the end.

I realise that not all threadmills have this gradual slowdown option.

So it's bascially. Sprint at max for 1 min, slow down for 5 seconds (speed will drop to around 5km/h) then gradually increase over next 30 secs to a max of 17km/h again.

Repeat this 13 times. Works out at 20 minutes. Wrecked by the end.

Hanley

Am I the only one who has a totally different idea of what HIIT is to what most are describing here?!

gosuckonalemon

Hanley wrote: »

Am I the only one who has a totally different idea of what HIIT is to what most are describing here?!

Depends on what your idea of what HIIT is!

Brendain

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

I've been doing HIIT on a threadmill and it works ok.

Start off with a 1km warm up.

Restart.

Speed up over 30 seconds to a max speed of 17km/h

Sprint at 17k for 1 min.

Press the stop button, the threadmill slows down gradually, allow this slow down for 5 seconds. (Time freezes during this slow down)

Then increase speed gradually over the course of 30 seconds reaching 17km/h at the end.

I realise that not all threadmills have this gradual slowdown option.

So it's bascially. Sprint at max for 1 min, slow down for 5 seconds (speed will drop to around 5km/h) then gradually increase over next 30 secs to a max of 17km/h again.

Repeat this 13 times. Works out at 20 minutes. Wrecked by the end.

Hi gosuckonalemon,
Cheers for your info on how you do your ‘HIIT’ on the treadmill - sounds great and I’m going to give it a go.
Sorry for being a drag here but can you clarify 1 or 2 things?

Q.1 When you hit the stop button after 1 minute at 17k, does the stop button bring it down to 5 k or does it bring it down to 0 i.e. complete stop? (I’m guessing the obvious answer is it depends on the treadmill and I wont know until I try it!)

Q2. Is your rest interval 45 seconds or is it 1 minute (splitting hairs here I know!)

Q3. whats your warm up speed?

Many Thanks in advance.
Bren

Mellor

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

Depends on what your idea of what HIIT is!

What you posted is not HIIT.
You are just running for a minute, slowing a bit, them speeding up again.

Also, quoting a speed of 17km/h doesn't work as the sprint speed is entirly dependant on your ability. Some would be flat out at 15, others 20 or higher.

gosuckonalemon

Brendain wrote: »

Hi gosuckonalemon,
Cheers for your info on how you do your ‘HIIT’ on the treadmill - sounds great and I’m going to give it a go.
Sorry for being a drag here but can you clarify 1 or 2 things?

Q.1 When you hit the stop button after 1 minute at 17k, does the stop button bring it down to 5 k or does it bring it down to 0 i.e. complete stop? (I’m guessing the obvious answer is it depends on the treadmill and I wont know until I try it!)

Q2. Is your rest interval 45 seconds or is it 1 minute (splitting hairs here I know!)

Q3. whats your warm up speed?

Many Thanks in advance.
Bren

Hi Bren,

My warm up speed would be 12km/h.

When I hit the stop button it slows down to around 4-5km/h by 5 seconds. If it is stopped any longer it would drop to zero. I find it pretty hard to restart from 0 so prefer to start from around 5km/h and work up.

So my total interval time is that 5 seconds plus 30 seconds= 35 seconds.

Technically it's not exactly the traditional 2:1 ratio but it's enough for me. As I progress I will try cut it down to 5 secs slow down + 25 secs.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training)

By 35 seconds I am back up at 17km/h. I have only been doing this for a few weeks to complement my outdoor long runs. Each week I try to increase the max speed by 0.2-0.3km/h.

After the 20 minutes I would run at a moderate pace to warm down.

Ideally HIIT would be best done outdoors. I've downloaded an App which lets you set intervals and beeps at set times. Once I sort out a track to train on I'll give it a go.

But as has been mentioned above, be careful doing it on the threadmill. Suddenly breaking etc. or running too fast could lead to serious injury.

Good luck with it!

gosuckonalemon

Mellor wrote: »

What you posted is not HIIT.
You are just running for a minute, slowing a bit, them speeding up again.

Also, quoting a speed of 17km/h doesn't work as the sprint speed is entirly dependant on your ability. Some would be flat out at 15, others 20 or higher.

As sprint speed is entirely dependent on one's ability, my current ability is 17-17.5km/h. Others more, others less.

leggit

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

As sprint speed is entirely dependent on one's ability, my current ability is 17-17.5km/h. Others more, others less.

I think what Mellor means is that you're never actually achieving a full, all out, sprint although you might be getting close to it, but maximum effort is what HIIT is all about. What you're doing is HIIT of sorts but you're not gaining as much benefit out of it as you would out in the open.

Without a threadmill "setting" a fast pace you can really go up through the gears and max out your speed. I've already mentioned the dangers of it too, especially if you were on your final rep and truly going all out, that would be a very precarious situation to say the least :eek:

If you must do HIIT in the gym then do it on a stationary bike/cross trainer/swimming pool but never a threadmill!

gosuckonalemon

leggit wrote: »

I think what Mellor means is that you're never actually achieving a full, all out, sprint although you might be getting close to it, but maximum effort is what HIIT is all about. What you're doing is HIIT of sorts but you're not gaining as much benefit out of it as you would out in the open.

Without a threadmill "setting" a fast pace you can really go up through the gears and max out your speed. I've already mentioned the dangers of it too, especially if you were on your final rep and truly going all out, that would be a very precarious situation to say the least :eek:

If you must do HIIT in the gym then do it on a stationary bike/cross trainer/swimming pool but never a threadmill!

I realize that HIIT on a threadmill has its limitations but it enables me to combine some speed running with other gym work. While 17-18km/h may not be the absolute max of my capacity, it is close enough to be bollixed by the end of it!

As I live in the city centre it would be difficult time wise, to find an area outdoors to do HIIT after work and then head back into the gym.

As I'm training for a marathon I would rather focus on running instead of cycling, swimming etc.

Mellor

leggit wrote: »

I think what Mellor means is that you're never actually achieving a full, all out, sprint although you might be getting close to it, but maximum effort is what HIIT is all about

That's what I was getting at.
The hard period is suppose to be all out imo. So hard that you need to crawl for the recovery period. Above the recovery is spent accellerating back up not recovering.

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

As I'm training for a marathon I would rather focus on running instead of cycling, swimming etc.

I'm by no means an expert on distance run training. I've only done 3 or so middle distance runs ever. But HIIT isn't a way that I'd personally prepare for a marathon. I'd focus on improving aerobic capacity as well as long slow runs

gosuckonalemon

Mellor wrote: »

That's what I was getting at.
The hard period is suppose to be all out imo. So hard that you need to crawl for the recovery period. Above the recovery is spent accellerating back up not recovering.

I'm by no means an expert on distance run training. I've only done 3 or so middle distance runs ever. But HIIT isn't a way that I'd personally prepare for a marathon. I'd focus on improving aerobic capacity as well as long slow runs

I hear what you are sayin re recovery.

Re the marathon, training is a mixture of long runs 15-20 miles, shorter faster runs 8-10 miles, hill training and some HIIT.

Irrespective of training, HIIT is very good for fat burning, a 20 min HIIT session can be as good as a 90 minute slower, long run.

flywheel

Brendain wrote: »

Cheers for the replies.
But to be honest I am more confused than ever after reading this article this evening about how spinning classes are a waste of time.
http://bfit4life.ie/in-a-spin-for-lean-pins/

I am wondering if spinning classes are a complete waste of time as a cardio / fat burning exercise! I wouldn't mind I am usually drenched in sweat at the end of a good spin class!
I must add however I do realise the importance of doing weight resistance and do this also.

Rather than rely on that article, have a read and listen to some more informed people who assess and counter the Poliquin 'theories' that article is based on:Is Cardio (including Spinning®) bad for you?

The original article you linked to was even published in the Independent newspaper (back in 2008)... it doesn't describe the true Spinning® Program an any way, shape or form... however if the instructor for your classes isn't qualified to teach a Spinning® session, hasn't progressed their qualification or doesn't deliver a periodised set of classes where you can monitor your intensity.. then you may not get the benefits or progressions you are looking for...

the references the article points to were also touched on previously if you want to have a read of some opinions shared in some of the posts in this thread...

MagicMirror

OP, your goal is simply to burn fat..yes? Not to be the worlds best cyclist? Not to run a marathon in 3 hours?

It's not going to make a whole lot of difference whether you do spinning or sprinting, and over-thinking it is just a waste of time. You can continue to research it, and you'll find a million different viewpoints with a million different training methods..and probably confuse the hell out of yourself.

Try both, see which you enjoy most, see which gets you the most results. It's all trial and error. No-one can tell you what works for you best but you.

ohyesthefinest

I'd do the spinning classes but thats just me. I would stop too easily working away on the treadmill but in a class situation I'd be too embarrassed to give up.

UTEOFTW

Brendain wrote: »

Cheers for the replies.
But to be honest I am more confused than ever after reading this article this evening about how spinning classes are a waste of time.
http://bfit4life.ie/in-a-spin-for-lean-pins/

I am wondering if spinning classes are a complete waste of time as a cardio / fat burning exercise! I wouldn't mind I am usually drenched in sweat at the end of a good spin class!
I must add however I do realise the importance of doing weight resistance and do this also.

That article is talking rubbish! I lost a stone in a month by doing spin twice a week. 1 x 1hr and 1 x 45mins. I did cut back on my food intake as well though.