With HIIT training being all the rage these days, this may seem like a fairly pointless article, but lets not be too hasty…

Reasons for HIIT:
– Greater calorie expenditure hence more fat loss than steady-state;
– Time efficient, 20 minutes is normally sufficient;
– Boosts testosterone levels;
– Can cause protein synthesis;
– Requires more recovery and therefore burns more body fat at rest.
With that bill of benefits it’s easy to see why HIIT is so popular, but there are still circumstances in which I would recommend steady-state cardio above it.

Reasons for steady-state cardio:
– If you have an endurance event to compete in;
– If you are lacking motivation to do HIIT. HIIT is hard and you have to really push yourself to see the rewards, some days you just won’t be able to reach that intensity;
– As a great stress reliever. Going for a run or bike ride is great to clear the mind, and let’s face it – London is a beautiful city to get out in;
– Bodybuilding prep. In those final stages you will need low steady-state cardio to get rid of those final bits of stubborn fat. I find at this point long walks are sufficient.

In summary, for most people looking for body composition results, HIIT training is preferable but there are specific times when steady-state cardio might be the more suitable option. In either case, both should always be used to compliment, rather than replace, a comprehensive weights program.

Remember that HIIT training requires more recovery and should not be done every day, and also should not detract from your weights program: if you weight train three times a week then two to three HIIT sessions will be adequate; if you weight train four or five times a week, then only one session of HIIT will be required. Much more than this will cause a lot of stress on the body and can actually hamper body fat loss.

If you’re interested in purchasing one of our online training programs – with a choice of: fat loss, advanced body composition, lean muscle or strength – you can find out more here: Online Training Programs.