A must-read for fitness newbies, don’t go wrong in losing fat and losing weight! Understand the difference between low-intensity and high-intensity exercise, and choose the right one to be effective

Most people hope to make themselves fitter and more attractive. Especially recently, the sports and fitness trend has become popular. With the help of various online video platforms, there are countless teaching videos shared in the market. Among them, "high-intensity interval training (HIIT)" is the most popular, claiming that it can burn fat in a short period of time. But what exactly is HIIT, and how does it differ from low-intensity training (LISS)? For friends who want to lose fat and lose weight, what type of exercise should they do?

HIIT = strength training, LISS = aerobic exercise? The professional coach shook his head. The difference lies in the heart rate.

Coach Xu Binyan said that before we start discussing which type of exercise, HIIT or LISS, can make weight loss more effective and add points to the body shape for people who need to lose weight, we might as well further clarify and understand their names and differences. First of all, in terms of the name, the most popular HIIT recently is actually called High-Intensity-Interval-Training, which is generally called high-intensity interval training in Chinese; and the full name of LISS is Low-Intensity Steady-State, which is the abbreviation of low-intensity steady-state exercise.

I believe that after reading this, some people will inevitably say, "It's not that complicated, isn't it just HIIT = strength training, LISS = aerobic exercise?" Unfortunately, this answer is not correct. Coach Xu Binyan explained that, in fact, the biggest difference between HIIT and LISS lies in the intensity of exercise (the level of heart rate), which is what their names suggest, the difference lies in the intensity of exercise.

LISS low-intensity steady-state exercise is easy for beginners, those with high BMI, and middle-aged and elderly people to get started

Simply put, LISS, low-intensity constant-speed aerobic exercise, refers to an exercise that is slightly higher in intensity than normal activities such as walking, with a heart rate of less than 50%, and is a type of exercise that is easy for the body to adapt to and easy to get started with. Therefore, LISS is not just aerobic exercise such as brisk walking and jogging, it can also be very low-intensity exercise, for example, strength training such as lifting mineral water bottles and wall squats.

Coach Xu Binyan pointed out that in his coaching courses, LISS training is generally divided into synthetic muscle endurance training and low-intensity decomposition aerobic training. Most importantly, the benefit of LISS training is that it is relatively easy to get started even for fitness novices with no exercise experience, or office workers with a high BMI who have not exercised for a long time, or middle-aged and elderly people. It also produces less muscle soreness after exercise and is less likely to cause boredom and rejection.

However, it should be noted that because LISS exercise has a low intensity, it consumes a certain amount of calories, takes a longer time, and is more likely to cause fatigue. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, to maintain a certain level of health, people should have at least 150 minutes of moderate to high intensity (more than 70% of maximum heart rate) exercise per week. Therefore, if you only do LISS exercises, it is recommended to do it at least 5 days a week and accumulate at least 30 minutes a day.

Looking forward to HIIT high-intensity interval training to double the fat-loss effect? Be careful of sports injuries if you challenge yourself rashly

As for HIIT high-intensity interval exercise, as the name suggests, it is a high-intensity exercise with a heart rate of >90%. The purpose of increasing heart rate is mainly achieved through intermittent high-intensity changes in movements, and it is precisely because HIIT has the characteristics of high intensity to increase heart rate. Therefore, it not only has a good fat-reducing effect, but also maintains muscle mass, cardiopulmonary health, and improves metabolic indicators, satisfying multiple wishes at once. This ability to compress exercise time is naturally very attractive to modern people who pursue efficiency, which is why HIIT has become a popular exercise trend recently.

However, coach Xu Binyan also reminded that due to the high intensity of HIIT exercises, the muscle soreness produced after exercise will be relatively much higher. If there is no proper massage and stretching after exercise, it may be easier to feel bored and repulsive. Therefore, it is recommended that people rest for 48 hours after the first training session before doing the second HIIT training session, and maintain a frequency of 2 to 3 times a week.

And because HIIT is a high-intensity and difficult exercise, people are advised to warm up beforehand and pay attention to whether they have a history of heart, vascular, or other related diseases to assess whether it is suitable for them. It is generally believed that HIIT exercise is more suitable for people who already have exercise experience or are guided by a professional fitness coach. Coach Xu Binyan added that sports are like learning English. It is easy to make many mistakes when challenging grammar questions without memorizing a certain amount of words and phrases.

The same goes for exercise. If you are a fitness novice with no exercise experience or habits, you may run into problems if you rashly challenge high-intensity HIIT exercises. Therefore, it also specifically calls on the public to stop, watch and listen more before deciding to participate in the relevant HIIT exercise videos shared on the Internet, and evaluate whether their physical fitness and mental and physical state are suitable, so as to avoid failing to exercise and causing sports injuries.

How to lose fat and lose weight? Which is better, LISS or HIIT? Professional fitness coach: There is no standard answer!

However, in addition to understanding the differences between LISS and HIIT exercises, you must be wondering after seeing this, which one should you choose if you want to effectively achieve the goal of losing weight, reducing fat, and slimming down? Coach Xu Binyan said that there is no standard answer!

He said that the most important factor in choosing a fitness or exercise schedule is the age, ability, and physical condition of the participant. At the same time, you also need to evaluate your own living habits and choose the exercise method that suits you best in order to maintain it for a long time. For fitness beginners, the elderly, or those with a high BMI, we recommend that they start with LISS exercises.

However, because the body is habitual, when the same low-intensity exercise continues for too long, the body will slowly adapt and it will be difficult to increase the heart rate. Therefore, if you want to lose fat or sculpt your body, it is recommended that you do not stay in the LISS stage for too long. Instead, you should switch to an appropriate intensity range and continuously increase the intensity. Once your body gets used to it, you can even switch to alternating between HIIT and LISS exercises, so as the old saying goes, "it depends on the person".

【Expert Tips】:

Finally, Coach Xu Binyan also reminded that if friends have no idea about exercise, it is recommended to seek the help of professional fitness coaches. It helps you to clarify your personal physical condition, evaluate which types of exercise are suitable for you, and arrange a suitable exercise menu step by step according to your ability. This will give you more direction in exercise and help you achieve the expected training effect.