LISS vs. HIIT…. Huh?

​We’re sure you’ve heard of HIIT workouts – High Intensity Interval Training; the kind where you go really hard for short duration, and you get super sweaty!  Yep, those are the ones.  But have you heard of her friend LISS?  No, then let us introduce you to an amazing new tool you need for your workouts.

Key here: if you suffer from soreness, muscle/joint pain from hitting the gym a little too hard each week, then you need to read this blog and listen to our podcast.  We want you healthy for years to come!

LISS, low intensity steady state, exercise has been made famous by personal trainer, Tobi Pearce. Tobi states “It was a name that I used in competitive natural body building. It represents the exercise, the heart rate and the intensity of the cardio. If your goal is health and well-being then a cruising pace is what you're after.”

AND, If you’re thinking, it sounds a lot like active recovery, you are right!  LISS exercise is a great combination to be added into your current workout, used when you are rehabbing or resting an injury or for those looking to get started with something less intimidating with a much lower risk of injury.

HIIT vs. LISS

HIIT alternates between high speed/strength exercise (elevated heart rate – maximum heart rate) and bouts of slower recovery phases (lower – working range heart rate).  The workout is usually short in duration with maximum calorie burn.  These workouts are credited with increasing muscle mass and strength, decreasing body fat and burning lots of calories.  Great when you are short or time too!

LISS exercise focuses on longer duration exercise with a steady heart rate.  These workouts tend to focus on balance, posture, enhancing performance and duration of exercise.  These are best done when time is not a huge constraint.

Are both beneficial – yes!  When combined in an exercise/training plan, we get the best of both worlds – strength, power, calorie burn, weight loss, balance and recovery. 

Here are a couple examples:

HIIT Workouts: Do these workouts with one exercise right after another.  Your heart rate should stay elevated. If you’ve got more time, add in 30 seconds of jump rope after each exercise block, followed by a quick rest period of UP TO 30 seconds.  Aim for 8-10 reps of each

HIIT Workout 1

• Incline Bench Press | Incline Fly
• Shoulder Press | Bent Over Lateral Raise | Upright Row
• Bent Over Row | Stiff Legged Deadlift
• Alternating Stationary Lunges (15 each)
• Lying Leg Raise
• Standing Overhead Extension
• Hammer Curl

HIIT Workout 2

• Bench Press | Incline Bench Press
• Shoulder Press | Upright Row | Bent Over Lateral Raise
• Stiff Legged Deadlift | Squat | Lunges - 15each leg
• Hanging Leg Raises
• Close Grip Bench Press
• Barbell Curl

HIIT Workout 3

Any type of high intensity boot camp, cardio with interval class at the gym.  Sprint workouts, or hiking through big rolling hills also counts.

LISS Workouts

​These are longer duration workouts, that are meant to keep your exercise at a steady state.

• LISS Workout 1: 45 minute walk on a flat surface
• LISS Workout 2: 30 minutes of swimming, or deep water walking
• LISS Workout 3: Yoga (not Power Yoga, but you can do Salutations and Flow)

To hear more: be sure to listen to our podcast below  on this same topic.