What kind of cardio after workout - High or Low Intensity?

[Pa2ad0x]

I'm around 5'8 and I've been cutting for about 3 months now. I've been trying to lose fat while maintaining muscle and I've done pretty well with it so far (I went down from 170ish to 160ish).

I understood awhile back that HIIT cardio was generally considered to be alittle bit better in terms of losing fat overall while maintaining muscle while Low Intensity cardio helped burn fat during the run but not as much as higher intensity cardio after the run was actually over.I don't know whether anything has changed because I don't keep up with the latest fads and 'this works that doesn't' theories of bodybuilding. And now I've been hearing that low intensity (60% heart rate) is better overall for keeping the muscle while burning fat after weight lifting when your glycogen stores have been depleted due to the work out? Also that higher intensity cardio will actually cause my body to use my muscles as a source of energy after using the carbs rather than going to the fat for energy?

High intensity (sprints in intervals) was what I have been mostly doing right after a weight-lifting session and I've managed to maintain lean muscle mass while dropping the fat for awhile now (with my lifts staying mostly the same and maybe even getting alittle better in some areas) but I believe I've managed to hit a sort of plateau where I haven't been seeing many changes over the past weeks with my weight still staying roughly the same (mid 160ish). Along with that, I haven't been seeing much difference in my body (I look at it in the mirror every day lol).

I've been reading up on carb cycling and have decided to try it to see if I could break out of this little rut I'm in by doing it - but the input on what cardio to do immediately after a weight lifting session is appreciated.

[andaramir]

I've been cutting since January, lost 9lbs so far. I'm kinda doing a mix of both high and low intensity cardio. I usually go on the cross-trainer immediately after i finish a workout, put the resistance up to 17 and go for 20 mins at around 45 rpm. I play tennis 2 or 3 times during the week as well. I'd say just mix it up. Its working ok for me so far

[snorkelman]

If you are truly doing high intensity interval training, there is no way that you would be able to do that immediately after an intense weight training session. If you think you are, good, it burns some calories, but it really isn't high enough. HIIT does burn some more calories than an equal time of slower, steady state, and even if the same calories are matched between LISS and HITT, there will be an afterburn effect, but the science is not clear just how much of an afterburn effect there will be. Some studies indicate that it is very small, and not worth chasing.

My advice, if you really are doing HIIT, tehn it needs a separate session later in the day from your weight training, or do it on a day that you do no weight training.

[atlrus]

I am a big fan of low intense. It burns less calories, but majority of them are fat. Thus as long as there is fat on your body + sufficient amount of carbs - it wouldnt need to dip into your muscles.

[snorkelman]

I am a big fan of low intense. It burns less calories, but majority of them are fat.

This is a waste of time if you ask me. I don't think it is settled yet. There are studies showing that HIIT is more effective than LISS for fat loss. However, I am the first to point out that those studies have limitations. Bottom line, all "cardio" is good for your heart, so it should be something everyone does. Keep in mind that circuit weight training will fit almost everyone's definition of "cardio" when you look up what cardio actually is.

At the end of the day, running like a gerbil on a wheel is a good thing to do if you enjoy it, or if you want to help your heart, or if you want to enhance your caloric deficit that you have already mapped out with your diet.

[LumberJackedJoe]

I agree with the poster above...HIIT tough to TRULY do that after weights....what about moderate like the stair stepper?