You may have heard of fasted steady state cardio or long slow cardio but what is it, what does it mean and how does it help?
This post will shed some light on the above questions and provide you with a powerful new training tool if you are not currently using this method of training.
Fasted cardio is simply cardio completed after a period of fasting; most commonly first thing in the morning. The ‘steady state’ portion refers the HR consistency throughout the workout. As the name suggests during this particular type of cardio you should aim to reach a desired HR range and then remain there throughout the duration of the workout without peaks and troughs in effort/performance.
This particular type of cardiovascular training is most commonly used for fat burning and it is very effective.
Now that you understand that basic idea there are some key steps that must be followed;
Fasted – for best results you must be fasted.
This means that sugar content in the body is low both in the form of blood glucose and muscle glycogen. You may have heard that we use carbohydrates or sugar as a fuel source during exercise and this is correct. There is always a period of time that the body uses sugar as an energy source no matter what the exercises intensity.
By being fasted we reduce the supply of sugar forcing the body to consume fat as a fuel source as soon as possible.
Time – for best results each session duration should be no shorter than 60min.
As there is a period of sugar burning, time becomes an important factor. Depending on the individual it can take between 15-30min to commence the fat burning process which makes the 60min session essential for best results.
Intensity – intensity is key!!
In my mind this is the simplest form of cardio exercise however its most commonly performed incorrectly. Keeping your HR between 55%-65% of your max HR is key. Steady state means steady state.
My recommendation is to trust the process body builders have been using this method for years, don’t try to do too much.
Tip – Not sure of your Max HR, try this estimation. 220 – your age in years = predicted Max HR.
Well Defined Goals – what do you want to achieve?
This method offers little increase to your aerobic capacity or sport specific performance as it’s designed for fat burning. By the same token if you are aiming for fat loss and you are training to increase your aerobic capacity you will end up disappointed. Specificity in all training is key. Understand what you want and work on the particular method to help you get there and trust the process.
Happy fat burning!!