LISS Cardio: What It Is? (Also Check Its Benefits And Ways To Do It)

Physical fitness has always been a priority for mankind as long as we have existed. From the time of hunter/gatherer communities, superior fitness was a requirement for survival. Fast forward to Ancient Greece, a culture that idealized physical perfection, and people began focusing on physical well-being as a means to mental well-being. Since that point in time, science has proven the benefits of physical health and human beings around the world have embraced regular exercise as a part of their mandatory routines. As such, over the years, many different exercise regimens have been developed and evolved and there is always something new on the horizon with the next cutting edge ideas in fitness routines circulating the globe.  

LISS cardio workouts are one of the newest exercise routines to hit the fitness circuit. You may be wondering what this type of exercise entails and how it can benefit your physical health.  

1. What Is A LISS Workout?

LISS cardio is the newest fitness phrase in fat burning cardio training.  It is an acronym for Low Intensity Steady State and is the opposite of High Intensity Interval Training, otherwise known as HIIT in the fitness circuit. LISS training is a form of low endurance exercise which can include activities like hiking, walking, swimming, or bicycling at lower levels of intensity. This version of low intensity cardio was created by Kayla Itsines, famed Bikini Body Guide guru, and her personal trainer. The goal of Liss workouts is to train your body to be comfortable exercising at a steady pace for continuous periods of time. A 60 minute LISS workout puts your body into a steady state of cardio which is ideal for healthy weight loss.

2. What Does Steady State Cardio Do?

Steady state cardio will assist with weight loss while building physical endurance. For beginners, a steady state cardio routine should elevate your heart rate to less than 55% of your maximum heart rate. Once you have developed a regular exercise routine, you can begin increasing your steady state cardio to 65-90% of your maximum heart rate. Steady state cardio is beneficial in all the same ways as high intensity training, but with less risk of injury as well as a shorter recovery period. For beginners, the period of time for steady continuous exercise should start at about 15 minutes, gradually building to 20 minutes, then 30, then 60. Of course, how much cardio you do will depend on your fitness level.

3. LISS Vs. HIIT Training

Compare this new training routine at lower intensity rates to the more traditional High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is very similar to Sprint Interval Training where you alternate short periods of anaerobic exercise with lower intensity recovery periods. The main goal of HIIT workouts is to improve athletic capacity as well as to condition the body for more intense performances generally implemented by elite athletes. Research has shown that regular HIIT workouts require a very high level of subject motivation which is usually only found in the most serious of athletes. This type of exercise routine is viewed as somewhat unsafe for the general population whose main goals may simply be healthy lifestyle while burning calories and fat as well as losing weight.

RELATED: Summer Weight Loss Tips To Get In Shape This Hottest Season!

4. What Are The Benefits Of LISS Cardio?

Lower intensity workouts are great for fat and weight loss. The Kayla effect has shown that walking burns more fat per calorie than jogging or running. The body needs oxygen to metabolize fat and a lower intensity workout allows for more oxygen to flow through the body thereby burning more fat calories without resorting to other energy sources such as carbohydrates. So while it may seem counterintuitive that a less intense workout will yield better fat burning results, the Kayla effect has shown that this is not the case. This is not saying that higher intensity workouts don’t burn fat or calories because they do. More experienced trained athletes are just better equipped to handle a higher intensity fitness routine. So the benefits of a lower intensity steady state cardio routine include effective weight loss as well as lower risk of injury and the ability to build endurance at a comfortable rate over time.

5. What Types Of Exercise Can Be Included In a LISS Workout?

There are many types of physical activities that can be performed at a lower rate of intensity while maintaining steady state cardio and elevating the heart rate to a beneficial level for weight loss and fat burning. Below is a list of certain activities that can be implemented into your workout routine to experience the benefits of LISS cardio.

A. Moderate to quick paced walking.

B. Slow jogging at a steady pace.

C. Moderate paced and continuous swimming.

D. Steady hill walks on an incline of a treadmill.

E. Walking up large sets of stairs or using stair stepper machines.

F. A steady pace on a cross trainer or elliptical machine..

G. Steady rowing or using a rowing machine at a moderate pace.

H. Steady paced cycling.

6. Is Yoga LISS?

This all depends on whether your heart rate is elevated enough to begin burning fat. The effectiveness of LISS depends on your heart rate reaching levels of 55-90% of your maximum heart rate for a continuous period of time. Oftentimes, yoga practices will not elevate your heart rate to an effective level for the purposes of LISS just as some exercises may elevate your heart rate too high, making it more of a high intensity workout which can produce different results.

LISS has been proven to be a very effective method for weight loss and fat burning by utilizing lower intensity routines which are safer for the general population to implement. So if healthy living and weight loss are your goals, LISS is a fitness routine well worth discussing with your physician as an appropriate and beneficial cardio workout to add to your skin regimen.

“Hope you find the post helpful and we are excited to hear what you think of it!