What Burns More Calories: Cardio, Intervals, or Weight Training
Our world is all about efficiency and we look at our exercise the same way. It's not always easy to find time to exercise. When you do find the time, you would want to make the most out of it. Nobody wants to spend double the time to burn half the calories.
Take a look at these three different workouts and find out which burns more calories.
Cardio vs Intervals vs Weight Training
Cardio
Cardio works at a high intensity. Most people recognize this as treadmill running, dancing and other aerobic exercises. The whole theme of cardio is to get your heart pumping, raise your heart rate and burn calories.
A lot of cardio workouts are meant to fun. It's a simple start for anyone, but it doesn't burn calories post workout.
Interval Training
High intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, teaches your body to adapt. In interval training, you switch pace regularly. It involves doing timed circuits of varying intensity levels. In intervals, you'll also switch the type of exercise you're doing.
It's about keeping your body and heart ‘guessing.’ This makes your heart and body work outside of steady rates. As an added benefit, your metabolism works a bit harder post workout. In fact, your metabolism can work harder for hours after.
Weight Training
It isn't going to halve your gym time, but its benefits can make up for the pace. Also known as strength training, this exercise works to build muscle strength. Because it requires large effort from your muscles, you burn more calories.
This extra burn lasts beyond the workout too. Your burn factor remains in overdrive for up to 36 hours post workout. This means with consistent weight training, you maximize your resting metabolic rate too.
What Increases Calorie Burn?
To put it simply, a lot of things increase calorie burn. During the workout, heart rate, respiration, muscle demand and duration are factors. Activities like running on the treadmill take more time to burn calories. High intensity interval training is quicker, but it is much more intense.
Strength training is intense and demands a lot of muscle work. However, it's not the quickest workout. Muscle burns calories - all day, every day. Increasing your lean muscle mass causes your body to burn more energy (aka calories) constantly.
Take care not to overstrain yourself though, as with any activity. If you're new to weight training, it's worth consulting a trainer. Many trainers offer free or discounted first consultation sessions. They can help you understand proper form.
They can also explain how to safely increase your weight training. You don't want to hurt yourself and miss weeks of gym time. Recovery time won't directly affect caloric burn per session, but don't ignore it. Slower recovery can mean more time before your next workout.
If you learn to minimize strain during exercise, you spend less time sore after. In terms of quickest workout and highest burn value, interval training wins. But don't forget, your metabolism doesn't have to stop when your workout does.
Extending Calorie Burn
Exercise post oxygen consumption, or EPOC, means you still burn calories after your workout. This means your metabolism continues to work harder. Weight training has the highest EPOC potential. Cardio has by far the lowest, while interval training falls in the middle.
A combination of strength training and HIIT or cardio is best. Remember, more muscle means more calories burnt even when resting. You don't have to double your gym time to get both benefits. Doing a mixed session workout can take less time than your regular routine.
By combining exercises, you guarantee more calorie burn immediately and post workout.
Better Boosts
If you want your body to perform better, work with it. Exercise shouldn't be about fighting your body. Compression workout gear isn't only medical grade, it is about supporting your muscles as they work for you. It works to reduce strain by compressing tissues in your body.
Strain that comes with routine intense workouts is buffered. Compression clothing also helps to regulate circulation and temperature within the muscles. Therefore, it becomes easier for your muscles to recover.
If your current gym gear doesn't include a pair of compression leggings, get some. If you're a runner, it's intuitive. Your legs use most of the burned calories, so make it easier on them. If you’re doing strength and core training, then get compression t shirts.
Superhero joggers are a staple for any cardio fan. Interval trainers reap great rewards for upgrading their gym gear too. Less jolting motion on your tissues makes for a more comfortable workout.
One-of-a-kind superhero compression shirts are a healthy addition for outside exercises. The turf outside is rougher, less consistent and harder on your body. As a result, your body needs the added support.
Don't Forget Fitness When You Leave the Gym
No matter how much you train, you can still negate your workout. Keep a healthy diet and stay hydrated. Those sweet snacks can undo a workout’s worth of calorie burn in one setting. And dehydration won't help you limber up, so get plenty of fluids to help your body do its best.
Remember: exercise for fitness and not food. The rewards can't be compared.
Conclusion
Keep your muscles in good shape and work with what your body needs. From diet, to rest, to supportive gear, your routine should include self-care. A combination of high intensity cardio and weight training will ultimately reap the most rewards.
You burn more calories per session and carry that burn over throughout your day. Practicing a mixed session workout allows endless variety. As a result, it would be difficult to get bored. There's the best workout regimen for everybody, so find the one that works for you and do it.
Regardless of which works best for you, you’ll need the gear to get going – luckily, I Am Superhero have you covered with the best Superhero compression clothes on the market.