Low-intensity.
Have you ever went on a treadmill and pressed the button that says, “fat-burning workout?”
You thought that it would put you in the fastest setting and have you do it for 1 hour straight didn’t you?
What did it do?
It put you on about 15% incline and had you walk at a moderately slow pace!
Low-intensity cardio is a great way to maximize fat mass.
Have you ever seen bodybuilders do intense cardio? No! They would destroy their gains! That’s why they always do low-intensity cardio.
Low-intensity cardio helps you maximize fat loss while maintaining muscle mass because your body is burning calories at a steady rate.
If you perform a high-intensity cardio exercise, you will end up losing fat and some muscle mass.
Muscles can be built or destroyed depending on how you work it.
Before I continue, I wanted to educate you on what the body uses as fuel when you are exerting a lot of energy.
The first thing your body uses up for energy is Carbs. That is why you see people eat more carbs the leaner they are because if they don’t eat enough, their body will look for the next source of energy which is fat.
That is one of the reasons why the Keto Diet is so popular. When people take away carbs, their bodies can target fat for energy.
The problem with that is, our brain needs carbs!
Anyway, I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole about different dietary lifestyle choices, that’s a whole nother story.
After fat, your body will turn to your muscles for energy. That’s right, your muscle mass.
That is why it is critical to make sure you are eating enough and have the right calculation of macros for your body to get the body that you want.
Whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight, calculating your macros would be essential for your fitness goals.
If you don’t eat enough carbs or fats, and especially protein, you will for sure lose all-around body mass.
Jogging.
Long jogging sessions are the best types of cardio when you want to increase your endurance and stamina.
Your heart health and lungs get the most benefit from this type of cardio session.
High amounts of carbs are essential for marathon runners since they need plenty of carbs to be able to go sustain their speed for long periods.
Sprints.
Sprinting is great to increase agility and strength. Explosive workouts are used to increase muscle mass and reduce fat mass.
Have you ever seen a sprinter and a marathon runner together?
Sprinters’ legs are typically massive and muscular. A marathon runner’s legs are thin and toned.
For sprinters, high protein and high carbs are important so they can build muscle and yet still keep up the intense energy they exert.
Remember, your body is such an incredible machine. Whatever you do to it repetitively, it will adapt to it.
Whatever cardio, whatever workout, and whatever you feed it, it will adapt and do its best to get used to it.
Which type of cardio applies to you?
Are you trying to maximize fat-loss? Do low-intensity exercises.
Are you trying to increase your endurance and stamina? Long jogging sessions shall do the trick.
Are you trying to increase your agility and strength? Sprinting is a fantastic way to get that full-body workout.
Let me know in the comments below!
