There is a militant camp that believes high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the absolute best means of achieving fat loss, accounting for total energy expenditure over a 24-hour period. It certainly works well for some people. But recent findings suggest that the extra calories burned during HIIT may not be coming from stored fat, and that HIIT training doesn’t make the body a 24-hour fat-burning machine compared to steady-state cardio (SSC)— meaning the intensity is moderate and doesn’t vary during the exercise session.
Both HIIT and SSC improve fitness as measured by exercise capacity and VO2 max.1,2 The effect is very similar, nearly equal in fact. If one were to compare sprint performance, vertical leap or some other power-based measure, HIIT would likely be better due to the training style. HIIT also has an appetite-suppressing effect, partially due…
