Interval Cardio VS. Long Cardio

For some time now there has been and still is a ton of talk about what type of cardio is better for the body, interval cardio or long cardio. The new thing in all the magazines is that you want to always do high intensity interval training and that long cardio (running) is bad for the body. We can’t believe everything that we read in the newest edition of women’s health or men’s health. Both interval cardio and long cardio have their pros and cons. Interval Cardio is short sprits of high intensity followed by short recovery time. For example: SPRINTING for 20 seconds and resting for 10 seconds and repeating that 10x. Those sprints are everything you got!!! This type of activity will get your heart rate up quickly and help you burn sugar in a short period of time. Remember, we burn sugar before we burn fat! When doing interval cardio you are putting your body in an anaerobic state. This means that your body is working so hard that it’s not using oxygen to recover. Not a bad thing. These short sprints of exercise are easier on the joints and are a very effective way to shredding those LB’s. If you are short on time I highly recommend you do some type of interval cardio. Long cardio is slow to moderate exertion for 30 minutes or more. For example: going for a 3+ mile run. There is going to be more pounding on the joints the longer you use them. Not rocket science. But is it bad for you? When I go for long runs I drop pounds and it’s a great way for me to clear my head. Your body is in an aerobic state during the long cardio bouts. Aerobic is when your body is using oxygen properly. The body is also using different muscle fibers. That’s why long distance runners look different then sprinters. So, what’s the answer? They should both have a place in your exercise program. This is a VERY simple explanation for the two types of cardio. There is so much more that goes into both. Each individuals body is going to react differently and don’t forget about your diet. You can’t out train or run a bad diet. For overall health and wellbeing, do both. Just be consistent with what you do because what’s the point if you’re not?