Can anyone tell me the pro vs. cons of using the fat burning program vs. cardio program that in on most treadmills and such. The fat burning is 65% heartrate vs. cardio 85%.
Running at 65% will make you look like a Kenyan marathoner, not bad if that’s what you’re going for, 85% will be a a shorter, more intense workout and you will look more like a sprinter, probably more the look most T-Nation readers are going for.
[quote]bgbearnavy wrote:
Can anyone tell me the pro vs. cons of using the fat burning program vs. cardio program that in on most treadmills and such. The fat burning is 65% heartrate vs. cardio 85%.[/quote]
Your muscles have different energy systems they use in different situations.
When you’re working at 65% of maximum heart rate, it’s like a high rep/low weight set. Your leg muscles and your heart will be getting most of their energy needs from the Aerobic Glycolysis/Oxygen System where energy is supplied by the breakdown of carbohydrates & fats. This is why it is called a “fat burning” workout. It builds endurance in both your legs and your heart.
When you go up to 85% of maximum heart rate, it’s more like a low rep/high weight set. Your leg muscles will be getting most of their energy needs from the Anaerobic Glycolysis/Lactic Acid System where energy is supplied by the partial breakdown of carbohydrates. The carbohydrate which is used is either stored glycogen (the storage form of glucose) in the muscles, glucose which is circulating in the blood or glycogen stored in the liver which is converted to glucose and then enters the bloodstream to be carried to the muscles. Lactic Acid is formed as a waste product of glycolysis and will cause fatigue if not dispersed. Working at this level builds the capacity to work at a higher level (basically strength).
By using intensity interval training, you can work both systems in the same session. Start at 65% for 90 seconds, then go all out for 30 seconds. Then drop back to 65% for another minute and a half and then all out again for another 30 seconds. Repeat the cycle 15 times for a total of 30 minutes and you’ll have done both types of workout in the same session.
It is useful to note that intensity interval training burns more calories than the so-called “fat burning” workout and those calories have to come from somewhere. In other words, during the recovery portion of the workout (90 seconds at low intensity) you’ll be converting more fat to energy than you would be if you were doing the whole workout at low intensity even though you go anaerobic during the all out times. This type of training also raises your metabolism for longer periods after you stop working out than does low level training.
Google for “intensity interval training” and you’ll find tons of information. HIIT is the only way to fly.
How do you raise your heartrate to 85% then go back to 65%? It seems once my heartrate is up it tends to stay up.
[quote]bgbearnavy wrote:
How do you raise your heartrate to 85% then go back to 65%? It seems once my heartrate is up it tends to stay up.[/quote]
Start your workout at the 65% pace/difficulty and then return to that level after each burst regardless of your actual heart rate. As you become more fit, your heart rate will drop more quickly. In fact, your cardiac recovery rate (along with your resting heart rate) is one of the best ways to measure your level of fitness. Taking your resting heart rate (your heart rate when you first wake up in the morning) is also a good way to gauge overtraining. If your resting rate starts to go up, you may be overtraining.
Remember also that the “fat burning” deal is happening in your leg muscles, not in your heart muscle. By dropping to the lower pace/difficulty, your leg muscles will go back to the aerobic energy system regardless of your heart rate.