When and why did steady state cardio start to get a bad rap?

[Lori_Michigan]

Jumped on the HIIT and high impact/heavy weight bandwagon in my late 30s -- ended up exhausted with constant knee pain and gained twenty pounds!

At 40, dropped to very low impact steady state cardio and stretching, some light weights occasionally -- lost 10 pounds!

[TinaT]

I've never enjoyed HiiT methods. Steady state has worked for me. Being consistent with this method gives the best results without injury. My calorie burn is where I want it as well.

[imhere2dance]

I've always been a steady state cardio girl and I always will be. I get good results, I enjoy the workouts, and I don't feel like I'm causing injury to my joints. HIIT just isn't for me!

[superfit41]

I love steady state cardio! Have done it for years, and will continue to do so!
Sherry

[wishiwasinhawaii]

I'm so glad this topic was posted because it's something I've wondered about for a long time. I've been doing HIIT for a few years and I'm afraid I'm just not seeing results. I am definitely stronger, but I don't look any different so maybe it's time to return to steady state. In researching this, I came across this article that explains the different between them: https://experiencelife.com/article/s...rval-training/

Not sure I agree with the heart rate reasoning in the article, but it was an interesting read.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by wishiwasinhawaii

In researching this, I came across this article that explains the different between them: https://experiencelife.com/article/s...rval-training/

Not sure I agree with the heart rate reasoning in the article, but it was an interesting read.

I'm not sure about that rationale either (if you're talking about the RHR cutoff for deciding what to do), since it's too general. Otherwise, the article provides quite a good explanation of the effects of both types of training.

[videofit]

The exercise that is 'better' is the one that you will do. Besides, diet is more important than exercise when it comes to fat loss. People don't want to face that fact.

[Alan]

According to this NYT article there is a growing body of evidence that high intensity exercise has a number of benefits over traditional steady state training.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/0...ronic-illness/

They are showing that high-intensity exercise may be even better than regular aerobic activities for many patients with conditions like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, pulmonary disease, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.

Among the physiological benefits of HIIT are the body’s increased ability to use oxygen and insulin, as well as arteries that are more elastic than continuous moderate exercise can achieve.

“We’ve seen, for example, that interval training is remarkably effective at lowering glucose levels in people with diabetes,” Dr. Little said in an interview. “Just one session improves a person’s glucose level.”

Stroke patients with persistent disabilities can also benefit from HIIT. As rehabilitation specialists at the University of Cincinnati wrote this month in BioPortfolio, stroke patients with residual weakness “enter a vicious cycle of limited activity and deconditioning.” But while regular aerobic exercise can improve their function and cardiovascular health, preliminary studies, including one in Trondheim, Norway, suggest that patients do even better with HIIT. The Norwegian team reported that the improvements persisted for months after the six-week high-intensity exercise program ended.

And Polish researchers demonstrated that HIIT could alleviate the rigidity and excessive muscle tone that makes it difficult for Parkinson’s disease patients to move their arms and legs. The researchers, from the University School of Physical Education in Krakow, Poland, showed in 11 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s symptoms that eight weeks of HIIT, three times a week, on a stationary bike had a global benefit, improving both lower and upper body function.

And it's important to distinguish between "high impact" and "high intensity" exercise. Most of the research in favor of high intensity is done using low impact equipment like an exercise bike, while most exercise videos incorporate lots of high impact moves in order to achieve the required intensity.

I just recently bought a spin bike and have been doing HIIT workouts almost exclusively on it with absolutely none of the joint issues that I sometimes have with video workouts.

[donnamp]

This is very timely for me - especially the comments made about the "calming" effect of steady state.

I'm considering doing a run/walk program (Couch to 5K) b/c I have been very tense and on edge for awhile now and nothing is calming me down. I used to be a runner and always felt so relaxed doing it - my running was steady state - got into a comfy pace and kept going, didn't do sprints or anything like that. I'm now thinking about returning to this as a way to reduce stress! I guess the run/walk is sort of like an interval, but my intention is not to go all out on the run intervals as I believe the purpose of the program is to build up to running for 30 min at a comfortable pace, not to win a 5K race.

I have also been doing Jenny Ford's You Tube step workouts which are, to me, steady state. And, I do feel more relaxed after doing them.

Donna

[suzannaerin]

Oddly enough, my blood pressure was at its lowest when I was doing pure endurance cardio.