What Is More Beneficial Between Low-Intensity and High-Intensity Cardio? How Can Different Heart Rate Zones Affect Weight Loss?

When it comes to working out, there are a myriad schools of thoughts, various researches being churned out, bones of contentions cropping up with regard to diets, workouts etc so on and so forth but when it comes to losing weight, there really is no quick fix. Besides dieting, the go-to method for most people looking to lose weight is cardio. Fasted cardio in particular is known to burn more calories than the run-of-the-mill cardio. For decades, cardio meant a brisk walk, running, or cycling. Whether you’re walking or running outdoors or on a treadmill, cardio is a mostly bland affair. However, things changed with the rise of High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT.

While walking or jogging are low-intensity endeavors, even running at a high pace pales in comparison to HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training has all the hints of how a session plays out. The intensity of a HIIT session is so high that people do it in circuits with short rest periods in between. However, the difference between the two methods is much more complex.

Low-intensity steady state cardio – divulged

Low-intensity or low-impact cardio is also called steady-state cardio. These are activities that actively drive your heart rate higher. People who walk, jog, run, hike, bike, and dance perform low-intensity steady-state cardio. These activities are called steady-state because a person can sustain them for at least five minutes to upwards of an hour without a break.

While the intensity might fluctuate, the work remains light overall. This low intensity also doesn’t drive your threat rate up too high. Instead, like the activity, the heart rate also stays steady. According to the Cleveland Clinic, low to moderate-intensity cardio only burns fat, while carbs and proteins remain untouched. HIIT is in stark contrast to such an approach. 

What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?

While the low-intensity approach is an effective fat-burning tool, it’s a drag, and each session takes a long time. The average person looking to lose weight needs to walk at least 40 mins regularly to see tangible benefits. Meanwhile, much like High Intensity Training (HIT) in bodybuilding, HIIT sessions don’t last long.

Unlike the steady state approach, where the heart rate increases gradually and stays at a particular level, HIIT sharply increases the heart rate, often to its max. Instead of walking, running, or hiking, HIIT involves exercises like burpees, jumping squats, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc. With every ounce of effort hence, HIIT cannot be sustained.

After a short burst, the person performing HIIT has to rest and catch their breath before proceeding onto subsequent sets or newer variations to burn optimal levels of fat. This repeats cyclically and often drains an individual of all energy within a few rounds. Unlike steady-state, HIIT burns fat, carbs, and protein. An element of strength training is also incorporated into HIIT. Yet, one might wonder which approach is the most effective way to lose weight.

Heart Rate zones and how it affects weight loss

Low to moderate-intensity activities make the heart work at 50 to 70% of its capacity for longer durations, burning fat. Meanwhile, high-intensity cardio makes the heart work at 80% of its capacity, and most of the time, maxes out at 100%. The rate at which HIIT burns fat is also higher than steady-state cardio. However, neither one has a clear upper hand.

Since people performing low-intensity cardio can sustain the activity much longer, in the long run, the total fat burned remains regardless of the approach. However, HIIT’s advantage lies in the fact that it can improve the VO2 max and the heart’s capacity and efficiency. The University of Virginia School of Medicine defines VO2 max as “the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise.” 

Hence, while both approaches are more or less equal for weight loss, HIIT improves an individual’s athletic performance. However, there are certain trade-offs in this aspect as well.

Approach high-intensity cardio with caution

While anyone can train in low-intensity steady-state cardio, HIIT was created for a different purpose. Professor Izumi Tabata invented HIIT in 1996 for Olympic speed skaters. According to Harvard University, “His exercise intervals were extremely high intensity, followed by very brief rest periods.” Since Tabata created HIIT for Olympic-level athletes, the average person faces certain risks.

Since Olympic athletes are elite, increasing their VO2 max helped them achieve even better performance. However, elite athletes already have an advantage in athleticism over the average person. Taxing your heart to the fullest is not a good idea for someone who isn’t conditioned. 

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Harvard University claims that elderly, deconditioned individuals, people recovering from injury, or those with pre-existing medical conditions should cautiously approach HIIT. Ideally, people who are newbies to working out should start with low-intensity or be monitored when performing HIIT. Getting big should only be done once they get acclimatized to how muscle physiology works and using different sinews.

Hence, just like high-volume and high-intensity training in bodybuilding, both build muscle via different approaches, low-intensity, and HIIT also burn fat through different methods. Consistency with either method will yield results if weight loss is the only goal.

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