Hey, what's up guys? Sean Nalewanyj, of EliteImpactLabs.com here. And in today's video lesson, I want
to talk a little bit about high intensity interval training-based cardio versus traditional,
slow pace, long duration cardio in terms of their effects on overall fat loss and lean
body mass. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar, high intensity interval training
workouts are a style of cardio where the trainee basically alternates between periods of high
and low intensity throughout the duration of the session. For example, you could do
60 seconds of high intensity followed by 60 seconds of low intensity or 15 seconds high
intensity followed by 30 seconds high intensity, et cetera. There are plenty of ways that the
intervals can be structured. But the basic idea is to train hard and explosively for
short versed followed by a period of rest, and then repeating it for anywhere from as
few as five minutes up to probably a maximum of about -- of about 20 minutes. But which
form of cardio is superior for overall fat loss? Low intensity sessions in the range
of 45 minutes to 60 minutes or high intensity interval sessions in the 5-minute to 20-minute
range? Now, for years we've been told that we should be performing our cardio in a steady
state where oxygen supply meets oxygen demand. And the reason for this recommendation is
because of the way that the body's energy systems work. When you exercise at a steady,
low intensity pace, fat becomes the body's preferred source of energy. In comparison,
high intensity bouts of training performed intermittently will mainly use carbohydrates
for fuel. So, given this information, it would seem logical that the traditional 45-minute
to 60-minute brisk walks on the treadmill are the best way to maximize overall fat loss.
But if you take a look at the bigger picture, you'll actually find that this is not quite
the case. And the reason for this is that although long duration, slow paced cardio
burns a greater percentage of body fat during the actual session, high intensity interval-based
cardio burns a greater amount of total body fat, lasting well beyond the initial exercise.
When you train at a high level of intensity, you create an oxygen deficit within your body.
And your body is then forced to burn additional calories for several hours afterwards in order
to correct that deficit. Now, this is known as, "Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption
or EPOC" for short. Now, this is actually translates to a significant amount of additional
fat loss in comparison to slow paced cardio. Well, over short periods of time, the difference
is negligible. But fat loss is a gradual process to begin with. So this really doesn't come
as any surprise. When you take a look at the long term effects of high intensity interval
cardio versus slow paced cardio, then the differences start to become more noteworthy.
One study which I'll link in the description box below, actually found that over a period
of 20 weeks, trainees performing high intensity cardio burned up to nine times more fat than
the group doing the regular low intensity variation. And not only that but the group
performing the high intensity cardio also retained a greater percentage of their lean
body mass as well. So, if your goal is to loss body fat while maintaining your hard-earned
muscle, this is the exact effect that you want to strive for. Now, does this mean that
high intensity cardio should be used as a complete replacement for traditional slow
paced cardio? No, that's not necessarily what I'm saying. All I'm really pointing out here
is that in a direct head-to-head comparison, high intensity interval training burns more
fat and spares more muscle than low intensity cardio does. However, this comes at a price.
High intensity cardio is more effective, but it's also more taxing on the body as a whole.
So, depending on your individual recovery ability, you know, executing a full weight
training plan alongside several high intensity cardio workouts per week might simply be too
much to recover from. And this is where a low intensity cardio can be used to help you
strike a good overall balance. It may not be as potent fat burner as high intensity
cardio is, but it's -- it's certainly still effective, and it can help you burn through
a few additional calories without overtraining yourself. For most people following a fat
loss program, a mix of high intensity cardio and low intensity cardio is probably going
to be ideal. For example, one to two high intensity interval training workouts per week,
and one to two low intensity sessions per week, combined with your overall weight training
plan. The best thing is to just play around with it and see what works best for you as
an individual. So, I hope you found this information useful. If you did like the video, please
make sure to leave a comment, subscribe to stay up-to-date on future videos, and hit
the like button below. To get your free 28-day mass building plan, which includes a free
workout, meal plan and supplement guide, make sure to click the link in the description
box to download that from EliteImpactLabs.com. And make sure to join the Elite Impact Lab's
Facebook page, where we do free supplement giveaways every Thursday night. Thanks again
for watching this video. And I'll talk to you again soon with more free tips.