There are endless ways to perform cardiovascular training. But knowing which type helps you burn the most calories the most effectively, will help you decide what type of cardio to undertake the next time you decide to workout.
Cardio is not a one size fits all approach. Each individual will have specific needs depending on numerous variables such as level of athleticism and current weight. Training specifically for your body type and fitness level is a vital factor in determining your ability to lose body fat.
There are pros and cons to each type of cardio due to the number of variables involved. For example, getting an extremely obese individual with lots of injuries to undertake high-intensity exercise, rather than just focusing on walking every day would not be a great idea.
Breaking down each type of cardio will paint a clearer picture in your mind of what will work best for you. This will also give you a clearer understanding of, what type of cardio burns the most fat.
Table of Contents
- Work Out Maximal Heart Rate
- Low Intensity Steady State Cardio Benefits & Examples
- High Intensity Interval Training Benefits & Examples
- Resistance Training
- Summary And Recommendations
Work Out Maximal Heart Rate
Different levels of intensity will vary for each individual. What is a hypothetical walk in the park for one person will be a high-intensity workout for another. The simplest method to work this out is by using the max heart rate indicator. Your maximum heart rate is how quickly your heart can beat per minute safely.
The most simple equation to do this is 220 – Age = Max Heart Rate
Then work out what percentage of this equation to work in for the specific goal such as fat loss or improved fitness. To undertake low-intensity exercise, this cardio is performed between 60-70% of max heart rate. For example:
Take an individual who is 40 years of age. Their max heart rate is worked out at 180.
180 x 0.65 = 117 (65% of 180)
180 x 0.75 = 135 (75% of 180)
For them to qualify as working within steady-state cardio levels, their heart rate would remain between 117bpm and 135bpm.
Take the same individual but now apply the levels of more vigorous high intense exercise at 80-95% of max heart rate.
180 x 0.8 = 144 (80% of 180)
180 x 0.95 = 171 (95% of 180)
Low Intensity Steady State Cardio Benefits & Examples
We now know that this type of cardio is performed with a heart rate between 60-70% of your maximal heart rate.
Low-Intensity state cardio can be implemented for a few different reasons. For an absolute beginner who is classified as obese, their only focus with regards to cardio-specific training would be spent undertaking low-intensity work. This is paramount for their safety but also an effective way to burn fat. This could also be useful for people who are more interested in resistance training and do not want to interfere with their muscle mass. Low-intensity cardio also has other benefits including increased blood flow, stress reduction and better memory retention.
Examples of this type of cardio are:
- Walking outdoors
- Light Jogging
- Slow Cycling
- Cross Trainer
- Swimming (If the technique is good)
High Intensity Interval Training Benefits & Examples
We know now that this type of cardio is performed at 70-85% of your maximal heart rate. This type of cardio can be extremely beneficial for those who want to improve their fitness and burn fat at the same time. Once HIIT training is completed, the effects of Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (Better known as EPOC) begin to take place. Depending on the intensity of the exercise completed, your body will still burn calories for 24-48 hours after completion.
If you are looking to burn calories as quickly as possible and are at a reasonable level of fitness, high-intensity training is likely to be the most beneficial route you can take. The issue with HIIT is that this type of training can use muscle stores as energy if nutritional habits are not sufficient enough to keep up with the workload.
Examples of High-Intensity Exercise:
- Martial Arts
- Team sports such as football, basketball or rugby
- Running
- HIIT Sessions
- Skipping
- Stair Climbing
Resistance Training
Resistance training sessions can be tailored to target fat loss, by implementing shorter rests in-between exercises and using big compound movements to use lots of oxygen. Thus whilst this type of training has been included within this article on cardio.
Although resistance training is not classed as cardiovascular training, the effects of resistance training when compared to fat loss are similar to those of steady-state cardio. Alongside this is the ability to build muscle and increase the amount of fat burning at rest.
To read more about this comparison, we have another blog comparing the effects of fat loss between cardio and weights – Cardio vs Weights
Summary And Recommendations
Solely being focused on one particular type of training and basing your whole approach on that method is not the solution. The first step you need to take is, to be honest with yourself and your goals. Find which type of training is going to be most suitable to suit your lifestyle and how you are going to go about fitting it into your schedule on a consistent basis. There is no point committing to 5 HIIT sessions per week from the off if you work an active job and have barely trained.
If your goal is fat loss specifically, a combination of high and low-intensity activity will give you the best results over a longer period. Training high intensity will give you the initial fat loss but then you will quickly burn out and all other areas of your life will start to suffer. By being realistic and committing to a few sessions each per week, you give yourself the best chance of being consistent without burning out.
Balance is the key to success when on a weight loss journey. Your nutrition and lifestyle habits will have an equal amount of effect as the amount of cardio you perform too.
A high-protein diet can help you lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
Getting all of your other habits in order as well as your exercise routine is paramount for success.
About Thomas Jackson – Creator Of Wellnessman.co.uk
Thomas is a qualified Personal Trainer, Strength & Conditioning Coach And Exercise Referral Specialist with over 10 years of experience within the fitness industry. Wellnessman was designed to give simple and honest solutions to the most popular and more complex questions within the health and fitness industry.