Cardio
101
Cardio is the boogeyman of the fitness industry. Newbies hate it, veterans hate it. Lots of people shilling ways to get lean without it. The bottom line is that you can. But the cardiovascular benefits it brings make it worth adding into the routine. If you really need to start from zero just set a step goal of at least 10k a day and start there. Even this will bring you immeasurable benefits. It will help you burn calories and do wonders for your mental health. Do the steps in nature and then you are really firing. Getting primitive as hell.
Styles
HIIT
High intensity interval training is a popular form of cardio that involves alternating short bursts of intense exercise with short rest periods. This will burn calories quickly and can be great when you only have 20 minutes for a quick session. Things to be careful of are a spike in appetite due to the intense nature of the workout.
If you prefer doing this and you can control your cravings throughout the day (especially post HIIT) it is a great way to melt fat off your body.
LISS
Low-intensity steady-state cardio is a type of cardio that involves maintaining a consistent, moderate pace for an extended period of time. This method will take longer than HIIT to burn the same amount of calories but will not spike hunger in the same way. Making it a preferred method for people on a cut who are already restricting calories. The goal is to remain in zone 2 for the length of the session. Zone 2 is about 60-7% of your max heart rate. You can calculate by subtracting your age from 220. 220-20= 200 max HR.
When to Use Each
As mentioned HIIT is great when you want to maximize calories burned in a short period of time. It will also get your cardiovascular system pumping leading to better heart health. The caveat is that it can increase hunger. It can make keeping a calorie deficit difficult if you already struggle to stay full on a cut.
LISS is great while cutting because it will allow you to burn calories without compromising hunger. It also won’t speed up muscle loss because it does not require as much recovery as HIIT. That is not to say that HIIT takes the muscle right off your bones. You can find plenty of people who are shredded and do HIIT 3-4 times a week. But when cutting and you are trying to preserve every bit of muscle you can while in a deficit, it may be best to do LISS.
What I Currently Do
I’m cutting so I am holding it down with LISS. I am resistance training 3x a week and 3 30 minute LISS sessions. I walk on the treadmill and alternate between 6 and 12 for incline. Give this a try if you are on a cut.