Swimming is among the best methods to develop cardio fitness. However, there is some debate as to whether it is the best option - the most ' opitmal ' way - for losing fat.

For example, there seems to be the view that swimmers tend to carry more fat than, lets' say, runners or cyclists. And, even though you get an added benefit of building some muscle during swimming, it doesn't seem to translate to the added fat loss you might expect. For example, a swimmers muscles are just as lean and and fit as a runner's - but, there is a notion that a swimmers body adapts to a cold liquid environment by carrying fat under the skin. The rationale being, this is simply nothing more than a good example of your body's ability to adapt to it's surroundings. So while you'll get ' incredibly fit ' with swimming ( HIIt ) .....you probably won't lose much fat by swimming comapred to some other options...but then again, you won't add fat either. And this is why some think swimming is not the best - ' opitmal ' - cardio option for losing fat.

By the way, apart from the whole " retain fat due to cold water " view, one of the other reasons why land-based ( and weight bearing-exercises ) like running are recommended for fat loss over swimming is because you would have to do high intensity swimming to achieve the same caloric burn as running at a comfortable pace.

But, all that aside, if you are good at swimming and enjoy it...go for it !

thanks a lot for the info, it was very helpful. As for HIIT in general, I didn't realize, but my cross country coach had us doing HIIT multiple times a week. But sometimes it was doing 400 m sprint then walk 400m, that was hell. after like 5 it was basically legal torture. Those last 400's were taking about 90 seconds, it was rough.

We used to do this at least once a week when I was in the military, come to think of it. thanks for reminding me of the great workout. Deffinately makes you feel like you are going to puke afterwards.

During the High Intensity part, is there a point u want to try and get your heart rate at? I know that i would always do my last 5 minutes on the treadmill increasing up to 8.5 for a full run. I know according to the treadmill I would have my hr at times at 168.

I guess, I just want to mke sure I am getting the effect of it and not intervaling for nothiing. Though, would MIIT - moderate intensiity reap more benefit than steady aerobic workout?

Thanks

We used to do that sometimes at highschool. Never liked it though
Really nice post with good information, thank you

As high as you can. That's the whole point. These are full blast sprints, you shouldn't be able to try any harder. You shouldn't have to realize that your heart rate wasn't high enough so you can try harder next time.


Typically, yeah, but, it highly depends on the intensity of both. If you're talking about a steady aerobic workout that is easy enough to carry on a full conversation and read a book, then most anything at all is going to be better.

But at the same time, I can do steady aerobic workouts for 1-2 hours that never dip down to your spiked heart rate of 168, I can stay at the upper end of the 172-189 BPM range for 2 hours straight. I would call that steady, and there's no way that an interval session that only spikes at 168 for 5 minutes straight is going to be better.

So, it's kind of relative. But yeah, typical "cardio" workouts are on the wussy side of things... spiking your heart rate in any manner is going to be lots better for several reasons.

Those are typically called "fartlek's". They've been around for decades, developed by the Swedish I think. Usually a typical HIIT session is quicker and faster though... more like 100 yard dashes at full blast with 30-60 seconds walking/rest... but yeah, about the same idea, but maybe different goals.

Quite honestly I think the 400 meter fartlek's at the track are about the worst thing I've ever done though, lots harder than the shorter all out sprint version. But, those were training for an event, for speed, usually with no regards to calorie intake, and more emphasis on training your muscles to buffer hydrogen ions, increasing your lactate threshold, plus the psychological aspect.

This other way is more for weight loss... the idea being that you are in a deficit in your calorie intake while you are doing it and you want to preserve as much muscle as possible during that time.

Like last night, I went to the gym and did a 5 min warmup on the treadmill at 6.0, then did 1 minute at 6.8, did 2 mins at 6.1, did that for up to 20 minutes and it kicked my butt. Had water but thought the water was giving me the, yeh feel a little nauseas. Like I really don't look forward to doing it again, felt kiind of defeated. Don't know my hr, cuz it was broke on this machine.

Though, I know it was up there. My cardio, I have never done interval nor steady. I would start at a certain pace and just keep increasing it, kept pushing myself, until the last few minutes were in a sprint. But this interval stuff, gets me. I felt bummed afterwards, as if I should of been able to push myself more!

Tonight, i will try it w/ the elliptical.

Off topic, for some reason when I tried to give u a rep, told i need to spread rep around. But it said that to me for 2 other people tooo! So, thanks.

i read a really good article on HIIT yesterday as that is my main source for cardio.
at your max you want to reach a heart rate of 85% of your maximum heartrate
Max is 220-your age
i do my HIIT on the stairclimber.. i feel like i'm going to die when i get off but it's SO rewarding.
also, for calories burned it's hard to say how accurate it is, as most of the calories you burn are 24-48 hours after your session.
just a little info i learned and thought i would share!

I participated in an exercising study for a PHD candidate examining HIIT and fat transporters in muscle. Their hypothesis is that by forcing your muscles to work at their anaerobic threshold, using glucose as a fuel, that your body will become better able to utilize fat as a fuel source in your daily routine as well as during exercise (a little background in exercise phys: Glucose (sugar) is the most readily available fuel source, your "sprint" energy. But it is also the only fuel source your brain uses so you're body likes to conserv it as much as possible. So by forcing your body to use glucose, it will move fat transporters to the muscle to be better able to use fat as a fuel and save it's glucose).

We did the HIIT on a bike. For those of you with bad knees, a bike works great! We did 4 min intervals at 90%MHR, then 2 minutes of as light as you want for a 10 intervals, 60 mins total but really just 40 minutes of actual exercise, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. I lost about 12 pounds in those 6 weeks, and didn't do any other exercise (beyond walking and hiking, but no extra time in the gym). I dropped about 4% body fat, so I know I didn't lose much, if any, muscle.

I highly recommend trying an HIIT program! Like I said, I have bad knees so I can't do it running, but a bike worked just fine for me!

The results of the study havn't been posted yet, but I'm going to post a link to his other study looking at the same exercise but different mechanisms.

Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women -- Talanian et al. 102 (4): 1439 -- Journal of Applied Physiology

I would like to find a way to boost my BMR so HIIT sounds intriguing.

I am 49 years old and have gone between being active/fit and overweight/sedentary at varying stages of my life.

I got addicted to meth and had no trouble with my weight while using...but when I got clean my weight ballooned to over 200 pounds. (at 6' tall) I spent almost 4 years lying on the couch, searching for a reason to want to continue living w/o meth. I finally got there and I have gotten my weight back under control. I am hovering around 160 and I work out on my Nordic Track ski machine 4 times a day (30 minutes per session).

I do enjoy running, but my left knee doesn't seem to enjoy it.

Any suggestions on what I can do to incorporate HIIT into my workout???

First of All... THANK YOU for posting this. I am new to this website, 50 lbs. overweight, work at a desk, and am very out of shape. 5 years ago I weighed 130 lbs. and power walked 3 miles everyday.. now I'm good at 1 mile once a week.

Anyway, started walking again about a month ago, and WW diet progam a little over a week ago. Saw this post and thought I would try it (moderated of course). WOW.. I streched for a few minutes, walked for about 3 minutes, then sprinted (faster than my comfort level), powerwalked, spring..etc. I didn't even make it to 10 minutes, but could definitely feel the difference. Then when I calmed down, I did the punching bag, hiphop abs, and a few weights. I felt great!

Only thing was, it was about 8:00 at night, then I couldn't sleep! Don't know what I'm going to do about that.

Leigh (or anyone who can answer), here are a few questions I have about HIIT


Can you do HIIT on a treadmill?

I'm sort of afraid of doing this and then falling flat on my face or something.

How do you know that you are running as fast as possible?

I know this seems like a sillly question. I can imagine myself running as fast as possible outside, where I'm completely free, but on a machine, I may be inhibited a bit by the fear of falling.

If you are doing HIIT, is that enough cardio for the day? Can I still continue doing my regular cardio on the treadmill?

I sort of would like to continue running just because I enjoy it.

I recently hit a plateau after gradually losing weight each week for just over a year. My instructor at the gym recommended to introduce HIIT on the treadmill. I run on a ratio of 3:1. 2 minute warmup, then 15 secs fast running and 45 slow to recover, and repeating the fast and slow for 5 or 6 reps, then a min walk to recover. It's done the job and have started to lose weight again, only 2lb but it is a loss. I'm sprinting now at 15.8 and he thinks by August I'll be managing the top speed of 20. For someone who this time last year weighed 298lb and would be panting for breathe running 10metres for a bus is, I consider, an amazing achievement. I just wanted to share this to inspire others - you can do it!

#1. I'm so glad I found this thread!!
#2. Originally weighed 215. Lost 15, but I seemed to hit a "plateau." THEREFORE = HIIT
#3. I did my very first HIIT session yesterday, and my leg muscles are still tight! (I jog 6 times a week, and I'm STILL sore)
#4. This better work!!!

= )

Although I would have LOVED to do 10 sets, my legs could only do 8... they felt like they were going to give out on me!