Hi everyone,

I've been reading through some of the posts on the board on HIIT and LIIS cardio and I believe that I may be really overdoing the cardio, and as much as I hate to admit it, I may not know what I am doing when it comes to cardio without burning muscle... If I am doing HIIT on a treadmill for 20 min intervals of 20 sec all out and 40 min recovery, is that 20 sec running as fast as possible or walking at the highest incline and is the 40 min recovery a slow jog or walk? I have really been overdoing the HIIT, because my allout interval have been too long.. Please let me know how I should be doing these.

Thanks
Lisa

As for LIIS cardio, can this be jogging for 45 minutes, or does it need to be slower like walking, bike riding or elliptical training?

HIIT would be sprinting for 20sec and then recovery for the 40secs. LISS cardio would be walking on the treadmill at an incline or any other cardio that would keep you in the range of 110 to 130bpm.

Jared, not sure you answered her question.

Depends on when you do it. If its on a non-trng day, your intervals seem to be appropriate at 20 sec all out, 40 sec recovery. Don't do this after trng. That's the fastest way to burn up some muscle as you have already blasted through your glycogen levels with the weights.

In a nutshell, Do the HIIT on non-trng days. Keep the LISS for right out of bed and/or after trng.

one other thing, jogging is usually not LISS, thats moderate and in my opinion not what you want as a physique competitor, I either do LISS with heart rate around 110 or HIIT. Think sprinter body versus a marathoner? Which one is skinny fat? and which one is jacked?

Thanks for the responses...Ok, so LISS cardio should not be jogging/running and HIIT should be an all out sprint... would the 40 sec recovery for HIIT be a slow jog or walk? My LIIS cardio has been too intense, this explains why I am losing muscle.

Thanks
Lisa

quote:

If I am doing HIIT on a treadmill for 20 min intervals of 20 sec all out and 40 min recovery,

That really sounds more like my kind of HIIT.

Right now, I can only do on a bike, 15 sec all out and it takes every bit of 45 sec to catch my breath. My max is only 15 sets. It keeps my HR at 90% and will hit 95 to 100% for about 15 secs then will drop back to 90%.

As for overdoing the cardio, it will be the matter of how much food/cals you're taking in. I have seen some marathon runners quite thick, surprising, but they plan their calories right.

So, if you're planning to shed fat and cardio is the option to shuttle it out, LISS is best in the first AM prior to breakfast and HR should be no more than 65% MaxHR, but preferred at 60%.

LAW, walk the recovery period. At about 3.0 or 3.5 mph.

Here's a question to the board members relating to this thread.

How often do you guys do HIIT when not on a pre-contest prep? I thought that it is pulled from the mix as to allow for Lean Muscle gains. Isn't HIIT brought into the mix when you need to lean out say for a competition? I pulled it when I was off season.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: AF Chiq,

I think you can still incorporate HIIT while trying to gain mass. Generally I've seen it used while doing mini-cut during an off season to help from the fat getting out of control. Also I've seen it used if people have trouble getting their legs lean while prepping, that way the legs dont get out of control and it makes it easier to come off while dieting.

On the "off season", it can be used. Jason played soccer. That can be a form of HIIT, but not for me. LOL I only played keeper. My HIIT was the occasional charge.

As with any type of training and calorie adjusting, you can even gain size training for marathon, but the chances of having thick, full muscles are nearly zero because of the muscle fiber types being utilized. The upper body can be tight and solid, but the legs would suffer as far as thick, solid, dense muscle.

I say this because I have seen several and you may see a few from Special Forces. They have to train for endurance yet, try to gain and keep strength.

It's amazing what LISS and HIIT cardio "done Right" is doing for my abs, especially walking at an incline, instead of running...Thanks everyone for your help in getting me straight on this.

Lisa

I was doing cardio all wrong myself and wittled down also ,I'm glad someone is knowledgeable on these forums!