Training · Moderate evidence
Interval vs. Continuous Training
HIIT and moderate continuous training produce similar body composition improvements; interval training improves VO2max more and requires less time.
Meta-analyses and controlled trial · 3 sources · 2 min
What the studies show
- HIIT produced greater VO2max gains than continuous training.
- HIIT and moderate continuous training reduced body fat similarly; HIIT required about 40% less time.
- In endurance athletes, distributing most volume at low intensity with few hard sessions outperformed threshold models.
How Letz applies it
The cardio in your workout plan is structured into blocks: mostly easy or steady pace, with short intervals every three sessions; low readiness or heavy legs the next day remove intervals from that session.
Who it applies to
Healthy adults and individuals with overweight; running and cycling.
Limits
HIIT causes greater discomfort and higher joint impact; polarized distribution was studied in endurance athletes.
Sources
- Milanović, Sporiš & Weston, Sports Medicine, 2015 DOI 10.1007/s40279-015-0365-0
- Wewege et al., Obesity Reviews, 2017 DOI 10.1111/obr.12532
- Stöggl & Sperlich, Frontiers in Physiology, 2014 DOI 10.3389/fphys.2014.00033
More in Training
- Resistance Training, Strength, and HypertrophyVarious training prescriptions improve strength and hypertrophy; heavier loads favor strength, and multiple sets favor hypertrophy.
- Weekly Volume: Sets per Muscle GroupMore weekly sets per muscle produce greater hypertrophy, with diminishing returns; for strength, moderate volumes already capture most of the gains.
- Frequency: training each muscle at least twice per weekTraining a muscle group twice a week is superior to once for hypertrophy; for strength, higher frequency helps primarily because it distributes volume more effectively.
- Load and rep rangeLight and heavy loads produce similar hypertrophy when sets are taken close to failure; heavy loads are superior for maximizing strength gains.