Cardio only a metabolism trick?

[Reinier]

Is Cardio only there to get you in a calorie deficit or is actually usefull in another way like does it actually improve the ratio between mass and fat lost in a cut?

[hemants]

From what I know, with low intensity cardio, you can get in to fat burning zone (ie. not much muscle glycogen or amino acid being used).

Also, it raises your metabolism even after you perform it.

Just do it!

[Shocker]

what about with HIT?

[Reinier]

id do it anyway as im a basketball team but im just wondering.
some people say this fat burning range while others are all for high intensity interval cardio.

im not really looking to increase metabolism. im actually having trouble getting enough good kcals into my diet so.

[Cue-Ball]

I'm actually wondering why lower intensity cardio is supposed to be better for burning fat. You would think that the faster your heartrate is going, the more fat you'd burn. Why is it that 65% of max heart rate is good for fat burning and 80% is good for cardio, but not fat burning? Anyone....anyone....Bueller....?

[ElPietro]

Because the harder you work the less oxidative a fuel source is required. As long as you keep a somewhat relaxed pace your body can use fat as a fuel source which requires oxygen, as your intensity increases your body will use glucose as it cannot get the required amount of oxygen fast enough to utilize fat efficiently. This is a general description and it's more complex but this somewhat answers the question.

[Reinier]

what heart rate would be ideal for that LP

[aikigreg]

A couple additional benefits:

1. Increased insulin sensitivity, from what the experts say.

2. Increases your ability to perform aerobically , (Vo2 max I believe it's called). If you want to play a sport, etc, it's of great benefit.

Plus it's so much FUN!

[nzk]

so why does HIIT work? if u need low intensity to burn fat, then HIIT definitely is not low intensity, but mostly anaerobic in my opinion. i dont even know if HIIT really works, or is it just hype? how come no one at my gym uses it?

[hemants]

HIIT is a time efficient way to burn calories but some of those calories will be from sources other than fat.

[Shane]

Cardio is important for health and El Pietro's post was right. One nice thing about HIT (or any sprinting for that matter) is that, like weight training, it elevates metabolism after the activity is finished much longer than low intensity aerobics.

[Reinier]

just why do i want to speed up my metabolism so much?
i actually find the diet i have to be quite a shitload of food already

[Shane]

Originally posted by Reinier
just why do i want to speed up my metabolism so much?
i actually find the diet i have to be quite a shitload of food already

True. You may not want to, but many people who do cardio do it to burn calories, so speeding up their metabolism through HIIT is something they might want.