Unless you have been living under a rock for the last three-to-four years, you have probably already heard about high intensity interval training. However, one of the biggest questions surrounding this training method is quite difficult to find an honest answer to - can you build lean muscle with it or is it reserved for fat loss workouts?
For years, it was believed that performing high intensity cardiovascular activity was a sure-fire way to waste all of your efforts when it came to lifting weights. []
This has now been proven incorrect, as the benefits of modern science have become very important to many professionals within the fitness industry. Thanks to these benefits, we can now see that HIIT is indeed one of the best approaches when it comes to both fat loss and lean gains.
You read that correctly - performing a HIIT workout has been proven by modern science to burn off more calories and promote more lean muscle growth than regular, steady state cardio. If you find the prospect of an hour on the bike to be pretty dull, then this discovery should really appeal to you.
If you are going to make the most of this great training method you need to understand a little about how it works. How many times have you seen bodybuilders jump onto bikes after a weight lifting session and pedal for upwards of 45 minutes to burn off body fat? This approach is now also considered to be yesterday's advice. Not only should they be doing high intensity cardio, they should be doing it prior to their weights. If you have been training for a while, this news will probably be a major shock to you because despite the fact there's a wealth of proof to back this approach up, most people do their cardiovascular work after resistance training.
A Canadian study found that cardio exercise followed by weight training was vastly superior to doing it afterwards, both for fat loss and lean muscle retention. This study dates back to 2001, but was vastly under-reported and so it went under the radar of many trainers.
Of course, it is also important to discuss the increased difficulty which will be served up by a HIIT workout in comparison to regular, steady state endurance exercise. You won't be able to do this every day of the week, particularly if you are also doing resistance training. That's actually a good though, though, as it will allow your body to recuperate fully.
If you have been trying to learn how to build muscle in the gym but were perhaps unsure of high intensity interval training due to the fat loss stigma which is attached to it, you need not worry. HIIT has been proven to retain lean muscle mass in a far superior way to regular cardiovascular activity, allowing you to slot it into your program and get the best of both worlds.
For years, it was believed that performing high intensity cardiovascular activity was a sure-fire way to waste all of your efforts when it came to lifting weights. []
This has now been proven incorrect, as the benefits of modern science have become very important to many professionals within the fitness industry. Thanks to these benefits, we can now see that HIIT is indeed one of the best approaches when it comes to both fat loss and lean gains.
You read that correctly - performing a HIIT workout has been proven by modern science to burn off more calories and promote more lean muscle growth than regular, steady state cardio. If you find the prospect of an hour on the bike to be pretty dull, then this discovery should really appeal to you.
If you are going to make the most of this great training method you need to understand a little about how it works. How many times have you seen bodybuilders jump onto bikes after a weight lifting session and pedal for upwards of 45 minutes to burn off body fat? This approach is now also considered to be yesterday's advice. Not only should they be doing high intensity cardio, they should be doing it prior to their weights. If you have been training for a while, this news will probably be a major shock to you because despite the fact there's a wealth of proof to back this approach up, most people do their cardiovascular work after resistance training.
A Canadian study found that cardio exercise followed by weight training was vastly superior to doing it afterwards, both for fat loss and lean muscle retention. This study dates back to 2001, but was vastly under-reported and so it went under the radar of many trainers.
Of course, it is also important to discuss the increased difficulty which will be served up by a HIIT workout in comparison to regular, steady state endurance exercise. You won't be able to do this every day of the week, particularly if you are also doing resistance training. That's actually a good though, though, as it will allow your body to recuperate fully.
If you have been trying to learn how to build muscle in the gym but were perhaps unsure of high intensity interval training due to the fat loss stigma which is attached to it, you need not worry. HIIT has been proven to retain lean muscle mass in a far superior way to regular cardiovascular activity, allowing you to slot it into your program and get the best of both worlds.
About the Author:
About the author - Uncover the shocking truth behind high intensity interval training as strength coach Russ Howe PTI explains to you how to build muscle using the most scientifically proven techniques, all for free via his fitness blog.
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