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Whether you are an exercise beginner or a workout veteran, you have likely heard the terminology “interval” and “steady-state training” before, otherwise referred to as “HIIT” (high-intensity interval training) and LISS (low-intensity steady-state training). Both interval training and steady-state training are effective in producing cardiovascular benefits, but they serve different purposes. The type of training you wish to partake in will vary depending on your fitness goals. It is important to familiarize yourself with the benefits and drawbacks of each type of training when choosing an exercise plan.
Interval Training: The Benefits
Interval training workouts are brief, highly effective, and provide variety. One of the best benefits of interval training is that you can engage in a highly effective, calorie-burning workout in nearly half the time as a steady-state workout. Often times, a 15-minute treadmill HIIT session can provide the same amount of calorie burn as a 40-60 minute jog. For this reason, many people may find that interval training is more engaging. The short and effective nature of interval training is also great for people who are very busy but still want an intense workout.
These workouts allow your body to continue burning calories long after the workout is over. Interval training raises heart rate very quickly, and after the workout, the heart rate remains elevated for a longer period of time. This means that the body continues to use calories even after the workout is over.
Interval training can be easily added to an existing weight-lifting program. Many of those who weightlift are wary of cardiovascular training because they do not want it to impact muscle growth. Luckily, adding a short HIIT training to the end of a workout is a good option for those who want to enjoy the benefits of cardio without sacrificing gains.
Drawbacks of Interval Training
Interval training workouts are often high-impact, which may be hard on the joints. Many HIIT exercises are high intensity, meaning they may involve sprinting, plyometrics (jumping), or other exercises that may be damaging to joints and muscles if not performed correctly. Those who choose to partake in interval training must be cautious of their form and allow for the body to heal and recover between sessions.
These workouts are very challenging, which may make it hard for beginners. Interval training workouts are short for a reason: they are very intense. Those who are not accustomed to high-intensity exercise should ease into an exercise routine before attempting to do HIIT workouts.
The Positives: Steady-State Training
Steady-state training, like interval training, is also effective at burning calories and providing cardiovascular benefits. While steady-state training workouts take longer to burn as many calories as HIIT workouts, they are still effective in providing cardiovascular health benefits and a good calorie burn. The benefits from steady-state training are immense, such as better sleep, improved mental health, and clarity, lowered risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc., weight loss, and more.
More steady-state training workouts are lower impact, easing stress on the body and reducing the risk of injury. Steady-state workouts include exercises like incline walking, using the elliptical, swimming, and biking. Since these workouts are of lower impact, they provide an effective cardio workout with a lowered risk of injury.
Shortcomings of Steady-State Training
Steady-state workouts take more time. Due to their intensity, a HIIT workout can be completed in under 20 minutes. In comparison, an effective steady-state workout session may take closer to 40-60 minutes. While steady-state workouts do take more time to be as effective as HIIT, 40-60 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time to be exercising.
Some may find that steady-state workouts are more boring than interval training. Since HIIT may involve a variety of workouts and lasts a shorter period of time, many people find HIIT to provide more variety to their workout routine. In contrast, steady-state training may be more boring (watching the time go up on a treadmill is usually not enjoyable). There are ways that steady-state training can be made more interesting, like reading a book or watching a television show during the workout, for example.
