Body Fat: Best Management Plan

[PillarofBalance]

Some of us unlucky meso/endomorph and endomorph body types have the unfortunate requisite for additional laboring to keep the fat off in our quest for greater muscle growth. I'm talking of course about the dreaded "cardio." Cardio, taken to mean simply cardiovascular exercise is intended in the case of a bodybuilder to be used as a fat burning tool. And its a great one, but its often boring. Worse still, the hours of cardio add up after time and all the pavement pounding take a tougher toll on your knees than the pounding that Stunna's as... - well nevermind... The knees take a beating we'll leave it at that!

But other than those long term side effects such as joint pain, there is another downside that is discussed with some frequency on the Boards MUSCLE CATABOLISM!!! There is no disputing the fact that running for periods of time necessary for significant fat burning effects such as for 40 minutes or more causes muscle wasting. But if you wanna look like a runner, then be my guest...

If not - then pull up your big girl panties and get ready to bust your ass and feel pain like you've not experienced before!

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training​ has been recently popularized due to the resurgence in popularity of a slightly more muscular appearance. There have also been a great many studies and articles recently completed and published on the subject. This idea isn't that new though. The earliest references in the journals I can find go back to the early 90's. And I didn't look that hard. I am sure there are plenty earlier.

This cardio method involves short but extremely intense bursts conducted repeatedly in a short time frame. Twenty minutes is all it should take to get your cardio in. Sure beats an hour on the treadmill, staring at the same dot on the wall while listening to Iron Maiden while screaming in your head GET ME THE HELL OUTTA HEEEEERE!!!!

Let me quickly list some pro's and con's of HIIT before I get into designing a program:

Pros

• Tons of science behind it
• PoB recommends it
• Burns fat greater than long, boring as aerobic activity
• Increase in Resting Metabolic Rate
• Increase in the rate of efficiency of oxygen use by the body (VO2 Max). This has carry over effects to anaerobic training as oxygen depletion is a culprit in muscle failure during a set. MORE REPS!!!
• Reduced muscle catabolism
• 20 minutes of cardio vs 30 to 60 minutes
• Not a daily activity. In fact its not recommended to perform HIIT more than three times per week.

Cons

• Acute injury potential such as torn muscles and ligaments, cramps and tripping and looking like a jackass. Warm ups are tremendously important.
• May contribute to over training if diet, supplementation and rest do not compensate for this new intensity
• Nausea and vomiting if done properly
• Doesn't work well on that treadmill in your basement

Each session includes a warm up and 6-12 bursts with moderate jogging between each burst. The number of bursts depends on your level of conditioning, your ability to withhold vomiting and if you are putting down for a specific method. Setting out on a new HIIT program is very simple. In fact here is a beginners program laid out for you that can be done in 22 minutes three times per week:

1. Light jog for 5 minutes to warm up (SUPER DE-DOOPER IMPORTANT!!!!)
2. Run all out for 1 minute/light jog for 1 minute
3. Repeat step two six times
4. Light jog for 5 minutes gradually decreasing speed ending in a walk.

A more advanced, conditioned athlete should simply increase the number of bursts according to ability. As this is not an endurance exercise, and we are not training to run the Boston Marathon, going beyond 12 bursts is simply not needed.

Some side notes that in my awesome opinion should be considered - Supplementation: Be sure to supplement potassium, taurine, glutamine and you should consider bumping your protein grams per day. 1 Scoop of whey (23-25 grams) post HIIT should do the trick. I also recommend taking a few extra minutes after each session of HIIT to stretch out the legs and/or foam roll to keep them limber and reduce soreness and cramping. Also, don't forget to increase your water consumption when you increase your workload or intensity level.

I'll put this out as a dare for the faithful treadmillers... Go to the park in your town, and try out HIIT three times per week. Do this three days a week, and for two months. If you're not LEAN by that time, then it isn't meant to be.

----PoB----

 

[Rottenrogue]

Pob If I may add something.For heavier folks that cannot "run all out" due to body size and aching joints..Hill sprints are awesome.They put you at a better position to sprint and I personally dont feel they wear and tear on your body as much as regular flat sprints.Plus you have an incline which is even more useful calorie wise.I find they are an excellent endurance training tool.

 

[PillarofBalance]

Pob If I may add something.For heavier folks that cannot "run all out" due to body size and aching joints..Hill sprints are awesome.They put you at a better position to sprint and I personally dont feel they wear and tear on your body as much as regular flat sprints.Plus you have an incline which is even more useful calorie wise.I find they are an excellent endurance training tool.

Yeah I've been seeing those in your log... I wrote this for people in Oklahoma though cause they don't have hills there

 

[Ogre717]

another great one bro. do you mind elaborating why its not recommended to do more than three times a week?

 

[PillarofBalance]

another great one bro. do you mind elaborating why its not recommended to do more than three times a week?

If you are doing it correctly, you wouldn't need to ask the question lol... The intensity level is pretty severe. The muscles will be burning and the DOMS it brings on if done daily or more than three times per week, would hamper your lifting and over load the body's ability to recouperate. Give it a whirl and you'll totally understand.

 

[Ogre717]

consider it implemented. Ill start this at the beginning of my 4/1 so its a fresh start.

 

[Wolf]

Another good post and I have a few things to add.

It increases nutrient partitioning, your body will utilize more fat regularly to supply its caloric needs. It increases glycogen body content, increases glycogen use efficiency and increases glycogen uptake. Basically you can lift harder and longer and use less energy while doing it. Improves insulin activity, can help to increase lean body mass.

For people that don't want to go run there is a very easy and as effective solution that does not effect the knees the same way

 

[AllTheWay]

there is great science behind the sprint/HIT and even better, as the pics that PoB posted show, common sense! it is the same with race horses. TB are lean but not overly muscled. the QH is a ball of muscle. same concept.

great thoughts PoB

 

[babybull34]

Another excellent thread, POB. Setting the knowledge train on fire!

 

[NutNut]

I use the same principles in farmboy training and max OT style cardio. Never try and do HIIT on an empty stomach, you will not be able to push yourself (really the only cardio that should be done on an empty stomach is low intensity as Aragon points out here: Myths Under the Microscope Part 2: False Hopes for Fasted Cardio - AlanAragon.com - Fitness Based on Science & Experience

 

[PillarofBalance]

I use the same principles in farmboy training and max OT style cardio. Never try and do HIIT on an empty stomach, you will not be able to push yourself (really the only cardio that should be done on an empty stomach is low intensity as Aragon points out here: Myths Under the Microscope Part 2: False Hopes for Fasted Cardio - AlanAragon.com - Fitness Based on Science & Experience

Good point NutNut! I don't think I've ever seen anything that demonstrates that fasted cardio is somehow better than un-fasted cardio, but the anecdotal evidence, standard practice or whatever you may call it SCREAMS AT YOU otherwise lol...

I don't think anyone would actually be able to get through a true all out session of HIIT fasted...

 

[PillarofBalance]

Another excellent thread, POB. Setting the knowledge train on fire!

Thanks bro! Suggestions for future topics are accepted