Spreen's Absolute Kickboxing--again!

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
:p

OK 2 Saturdays ago I did the KB portion first & the bodybar portion second. I burned about 485 cals.

Last Saturday I did the interval premix. I burned about 435 cals.

I've found this to be the case w/other interval workouts as well--even though you feel like you're working SO hard you're burning fewer cals.

So someone who's more educated in exercise physiology please 'splain. What are the benefits of HIIT vs. steady state? I've always preferred steady state b/c it does seem to be a better fat burner. If I remember correctly something about HIIT causes your body to burn cals/fat after you finish the workout? Is this true? Because I'm getting ready to shelve all my HIIT permanently. I'm starting to think they're just not worth it. I don't enjoy them & they're too hard for what you get (or don't get) out of them.
 
Laura,
I know it sounds weird, but I have never owned or worn a heartrate monitor in my life so I have no idea how many calories I burn during workouts. I love HIIT workouts and circuit workout because they kick my butt and leave me feeling great. I used to monitor every calorie I burned on cardio equipment and it quickly turned into an obsession where I would workout on machines for hours trying to burn every calorie I'd consumed that day. I finally walked away from machines and have never gone back--that's why I love home fitness DVDs. I feel great and don't focus on the calorie burn. Of course the amoutn of calories burned is always in the back of my mind (and one of the main reasons I think we all work out) but I won't give up my HIIT and circuit workouts just because of that. They make me feel way too strong and healthy.


Allison
 
Hi Lauramax! You answered mine so let me repay the favor.

HIIT workouts are meant to increase the level of your anaerobic threshold - or in other words, make your heart stronger. They're good for breaking plateaus and can help you with steady state cardio because your heart is so much stronger.
Also there is a higher EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption) - which means the body is consuming more oxygen after a strenuous workout (like HIITs). The theory is that because the body is utilizing more O2, more calories are burned for a longer period after high intensity workouts.

Steady state cardio is great for cross training. The body craves different forms of exercise so steady state is a must for any balanced regime IMO. It is true that lower intensity workouts use fat for fuel more so than high intensity - but only percentage-wise. The more calories you burn, the more fat you burn overall so that theory really doesn't work.

Carolyn:)
 
She says not to use over 9 lbs, but I don't think she tells you the weight she's using. I got a 9 lb one and am using it for the first time on Saturday. I'm expecting some serious DOMS because last time I used a broomstick and could feel it even with that!
 
Hello LauraMax,

I think Carolyn answered the question very well. I personally find that when I do HIIT regularly my fitness level really go up and I can do steady state cardio for longer and at a higher intensity. I personally don't wear a heart rate or calorie monitor so I don't know which burns more calorie, I actually prefer to train with HIIT than steady state because I can feel my body becoming stronger and my fitness improving.

I like hard work!

Yen
 
>I've found this to be the case w/other interval workouts as
>well--even though you feel like you're working SO hard you're
>burning fewer cals.
>
>So someone who's more educated in exercise physiology please
>'splain. What are the benefits of HIIT vs. steady state?
>I've always preferred steady state b/c it does seem to be a
>better fat burner. If I remember correctly something about
>HIIT causes your body to burn cals/fat after you finish the
>workout? Is this true? Because I'm getting ready to shelve
>all my HIIT permanently. I'm starting to think they're just
>not worth it. I don't enjoy them & they're too hard for what
>you get (or don't get) out of them.

I think one problem is confusion about what is interval training, and also about what is HIIT. Kimberly's workout isn't really interval training, IMO, but circuit training (Greg Twombly/CIA tends to confuse the two a lot, calling most of the circuit workouts "interval" workouts).

Cathe's IMAXs are interval workouts, but not HIIT. HIIT would be more like doing the blast-only portions of Cathe's Imaxes, with short recovery periods between, going all-out on the intervals, and only going 20-30 minutes, because HIIT is hard to maintain for longer than that.

One of the benefits of interval training in general are that when you do the higher-intensity segments (getting at or near your anaerobic threshhold), you burn more calories, and that boost in metabolism continues even through the recovery periods. There is also more of an 'afterburn' to these workouts, so you burn more calories in the minutes and hours after the workout is over.


ETA: when in doubt, consult Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training
 
I don't know, I really just do not enjoy interval workouts & when I look at my intensity spreadsheet they're so low on the charts--IMAX is my least favorite & as far as cals burned it compares w/my Turbo Jam workouts, which are fun & easy. So I'd much rather do TJ Than IMAX.

Incidentally, the reason I track cals burned is not really so I know how many cals I'm burning. It's more for choosing which workout on any given day. Like, if I'm feeling tired I'll do something low on the chart, if I'm feeling good I do something high on the chart. I don't use the HRM anymore since I have the chart completed.

Kathryn, when I'm in doubt I always come here. ;) I don't really put much stock in Wikipedia--anyone can write anything they want there, it's not really a very reliable resource.
 
Lauramax, what Turbo Jam workouts would you recommend? I'm looking for moderate intensity hi/lo type stuff.

TIA
Carolyn
 
At the risk of highjacking here! But I do think this is related to what Lauramax is talking about.

As you know, I am recovering from hip replacement surgery, it will be 6 weeks this coming Tuesday, and will return to "normal" activities. :) But was informed, that I cannot do plyometrics or any high intensity type cardio every again due to the hip.

My question: So how do I "push" myself like I did during say an original Imax workout? Before the surgery, I was able to do things like jumping jacks, beleive it or not, but did have to modify the rest. But it was enough to really into my anaerobic state. How will I be able to do this now? I love the feeling of pushing myself to the brink, then resting, then hitting it hard again when I do cardio. I was told I can walk on the treadmill, the spin bike (without standing and weight bearing on the hip for the next 3 months) and the elliptical. I will also be able to use some of Cathe's step workouts, I just wonder if you have any suggestions on how to incorporate low impact, yet still making it intense enough to push past that threshhold.
Maybe Coach Sean's workouts-I could use them on my elliptical?
Thanks for the input, its strange having to totally rethink the way I can workout!:)
 
tneah, can you do hi/lo? I would actually suggest doing the workout which is the title of this thread (absolute kickboxing). Although it's not as intense as a Cathe kickboxing workout, I think it gets the job done nicely. Plus if you do the combat intervals, you use the bar which gets the HR up with no impact to the lower body (unless you hit yourself with the bar of course :))
I'm thinking you could do incline walks at a higher speed to get your HR up (it certainly works for me). Or you could do those Itread or Cardio Coach workouts walking on a treadmill or with your elliptical. Also, can you swim? Swimming is obviously a great workout with no impact. I'm thinking that you'll have to rely a lot on cardio machines. Oh, if you have access to a gym, you could use the rowing machine. That thing is no joke!

HTH
Carolyn
 
I have Cardio Party 3 & it's lots of fun, moderate intensity, & Chalene has a great personality if you can get past the skirt (who the heck wears skirts when they kickbox? :eek: ). Donna (dss62467 I think is her screen name) is more of an expert than I am on TJ, maybe if you PM her she can give you some recs.

Have you tried Tony Horton's Kenpo X & Plyo X? Plyo X might be higher intensity than what you want, although it is fun, effective & very basic choreography. Kenpo X is my favorite KB workout ever--it's more of a real karate workout than KB--& it's almost completely low impact if you sub the jacks during his "breaks". It's also deceptive--it's so much fun you don't feel like you're working hard when you're doing it, but it is a good fat burner.

Plus Tony's so purdy.........;-)
 
And there's always Low Max. It's the only interval w/o I truly enjoy, it's the highest cal burner interval w/o on my chart (even w/a 6 inch step!) & it's totally low impact.

I also agree w/the walking & swimming. And of course the gym--lots of great options there.
 
I always wear an HRM. (I'm addicted!) Anyway, I've noticed when I do sprints, my HR gets up to 90-95% of my estimated max HR. I tend to leave my HRM on until it goes below 100. When I work out at such a high intensity, it can take a good 1/2 hour to 1 hour to come down near or under 100. However, when I do a workout video or steady run, my HR drops within minutes of completing the workout.
 
Tneah,

Cardio Coach would be a great option for you. They are riddled with high intesity challenges, but on the bike or elliptical, they will all be low impact. I find that lately, I've been doing way more Cardio Coach than any of my videos. While I love my cardio videos, many of them cause problems with my Plantar Fasciitis. Cardio Coach is very kind to PF and it can be just as intense as the IMAXes or other interval workouts.

Shelbygirl
 
Thanks you guys, of course, of course! I had not really thought the options I do have, have just been focusing on what I cannot do!:)
 
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