It is important to note that cardio is the third most important variable during a weight loss phase. The speed at which you perform your workout may depend on your fitness level, but the bottom line is that you train at low-intensity for a continuous period.The best types of cardio to aid in weight loss are either low-impact, low intensity cardio like rowing, incline walking, and biking, or HIIT workouts implemented in small doses such as kickboxing, interval training, and weight training. If you're using a machine, carefully monitor your pace and heart rate to stay within the LIIS 'zone.'Īgain, the foundation of LIIS training is working out at a relaxed pace that doesn't push your body to its limits. If you prefer working out in a gym, however, there are plenty of options: treadmills, rowing machines, swimming, elliptical machines, and more. Walking is perhaps the easiest form of LIIS training and can be done almost anywhere. One way to combine the two types of workouts is to incorporate LIIS training into one of your cardio days. Someone who has limited time to exercise may benefit more from HIIT because you'll burn more calories in a shorter period. You'll reduce stress and burn fat while giving your joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles a break from hard training.įor some people, deciding which type of workout is best depends on time.

If HIIT is your preferred training style, you can still do LIIS workouts on an active recovery day. In an age when many people sit for the majority of their working hours, it's an ideal way to get moving. You can do LIIS on consecutive days without the risk of injury or of becoming overly fatigued. Because LIIS workouts are gentler, it’s easier to push through them and remember to workout regularly. More grueling workouts can wear you down mentally as well as physically. LIIS exercises can help you work up your endurance to the point where you can easily handle higher workouts. If you’re new to working out, high-intensity training can be difficult to start.

An easy way to prepare yourself for higher intensity workouts.

They’re easier on your joints, making them ideal for people with arthritis or those.

A low-impact way to work your tendons, joints, ligaments and muscles.

There are several reasons why LIIS is beneficial to your health.

Research also indicates that lower-intensity workouts can be just as effective as higher-intensity training. LIIS has gained a lot of popularity over the last few years because it’s easier on the joints.

With LIIS, you do light cardio at 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate, usually for long durations at a consistent pace.

What Is LIIS?Īs its name implies, low-intensity-steady-state cardio means working out at a pace that's not as demanding as high-intensity exercise. You'll burn calories and get cardiovascular benefits but without the physical strain of high-impact workouts. That doesn't mean high-intensity training is the only way to staying in shape and get more energy.Ī great alternative to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is low-intensity steady-state cardio (LIIS). While the phrase doesn't always imply that exercise should be physically painful, it does suggest that pushing yourself to the limits of your endurance is essential for getting the best results. The term 'no pain, no gain' is common to the world of exercise.

Low intensity cardio