Easy elliptical excercise for 1hr vs hard elliptical excercise for 20 min

[JEDI]

On easy, i burn ~10calories per min, thus 600 calories in an hr.

If I up the level of resistance, i burn about 15 calories per min, but i can only do 20 min because i get exhausted.

Pros of the harder level:
Faster heartrate, better cardio

Pros of the easier workout:
More calories burned

If i want to lose the fat and get a 6pack, i think easy is better since i burn more calories?


Update:
so since this post 4weeks ago, i've switched to HIIT on the elliptical 2x/week (on avg).

I do a minute of warmup (Lvl5), 30 sec of middle resistance (Lvl10), then full speed for 1min at Lvl15, then recover at lvl5 for 2min.

Rinse and repeat for 15 min, thus 4 of these cycles.

Today, i actually did Lvl15 for 2min. I guess i'm getting stronger and adapting to the resistance.

Anyway, i've noticed a smaller spare tire.

(I never noticed a smaller stomach when i was doing the easier longer routine. and that was for 3months.)

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: JEDI
On easy, i burn ~10calories per min, thus 600 calories in an hr.

If I up the level of resistance, i burn about 15 calories per min, but i can only do 20 min because i get exhausted.

Pros of the harder level:
Faster heartrate, better cardio

Pros of the easier workout:
More calories burned

If i want to lose the fat and get a 6pack, i think easy is better since i burn more calories?

You would be correct.

 

[brandonb]

Every book about weight loss I've read says longer easy workouts are better than short and strenuous workouts.

 

[torpid]

Why not alternate between the two? That's what I try to do. 5 min of easy, 5 min of intense. Although it sounds like your intense is more intense than the intense I go for, so maybe 2 minutes.

 

[markgm]

I have a Diamondback 700 and I go for 62 minutes on high. It says I burn anywhere from 945-1067 calories. I burn more when I listen to music vs. watch a movie. I started using it again now that I'm almost done finishing my basement (I stopped when I moved into the house.) When I first got it in 2004 I lost over 30 pounds from doing it daily. I used to use the heart rate mode which just kept the tension high enough to keep my heart rate at a certain level but it got all confused when it would be at the maximum tension and my heart rate wasn't changing.

I love my elliptical. If anyone plans on getting one, get a decent one that isn't just 2 pedals attached to a bicycle wheel.

Anyway, I'd go for the longer time.

 

[leftyman]

My motto----->What is good for your heart is what is best for you.

Everything... diet, cardio, weight training and regular excercise should be done with that in mind.

 

[Dudewithoutapet]

Longer time FTW man. I'm doing almost the exact same thing your doing. I'm limited to 33 min though at my gym.

 

[Kelemvor]

I'd also recommend alternating.

Most of those machines have programs where it will go hard for a bit and then easy again and then repeat. That way you don't have to keep up the insane burn for too long and stop, it gives you a breather in between. Or you can even do it manually. Crank it up as hard as you can go for as long as you can go, and then when you think you're going to pass out, go back to easy until you catch your breath and feel you can go again and then crank it back up.

 

[purbeast0]

I've definitely had better results by doing harder workouts vs. doing easier workouts, regardless of how long I'm doing stuff for.

I don't know if this is the norm or whatever, but I just do not care what those charts show on the machines. They show that you burn fat with a lower heart rate and that if you have a higher heart rate you are targetting purely cardio and not as much fat. From my experience I've never seen this true.

Back in college I used to run really hard for about 20-25 mins straight. After a year or so when I was back into cardio but not living on campus, I decided to try doing the eliptical machine because I couldn't get the wind back that I used to have when I was running hard. I would do the eliptical for about 30 minutes and it seemed like it was not that hard to do either. However after doing this for a few months, I didn't feel like I was nearly as "cut" as I had previously been when running harder, not to mention, doing the eliptical machine is not tough, even for prolongued periods of time.

I'm now back into cardio, and instead of doing the eliptical machine for 30 minutes, I'm running for about 20 mins. I'm trying to increase it though to get back to doing 30 minutes of hard running. I've already gotten from 12 minutes up to 22 mins, so I'm going to get it back.

The way I see it, if it's easier to do, it's not doing as much for you, regardless of those dumb charts. My one friend who is a trainer was telling me that if you run hard and get your heart rate up to about 170 or higher, then for a few hours after you are done running, your heartrate is still pretty high and you will continue to burn a good amount more calories than you normally would. If your heartrate is lower, as it would be if you were doing lower intensity for a longer period of time, you won't get this benefit.

Not to mention, just doing low impact stuff just doesn't feel like work and it feels too simple, thus not feeling rewarding, and in my experiences, I've had much better results pushing myself to my limits and just making myself run when it's very difficult, vs. just doing the simple eliptical machine.

Also take a look at marathon runners vs professional athletes such as TO or Alonzo Mourning. They aren't nearly as ripped at all, and I believe part of that is because of hte intensity of the training they do.

EDIT: not to mention, if you are going for 6pack abs, while running you will use those muscles a lot more than you will if you are using an eliptical machine, so running will benefit more than eliptical for tightening up your abs.

 

[chari]

20 Minutes is prety much the minimum amount of time that you shiould cardio. I would say that it's much better for you to keep your heart rate up for that hour rather than only having a raised heart rate for a few minutes.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
Also take a look at marathon runners vs professional athletes such as TO or Alonzo Mourning. They aren't nearly as ripped at all, and I believe part of that is because of hte intensity of the training they do.

EDIT: not to mention, if you are going for 6pack abs, while running you will use those muscles a lot more than you will if you are using an eliptical machine, so running will benefit more than eliptical for tightening up your abs.

I've noticed the same thing. Marathon runners tend to be really skinny with stringy muscles, while sprinters almost always seem to be cut with good builds.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Ktulu

Originally posted by: purbeast0
Also take a look at marathon runners vs professional athletes such as TO or Alonzo Mourning. They aren't nearly as ripped at all, and I believe part of that is because of hte intensity of the training they do.

EDIT: not to mention, if you are going for 6pack abs, while running you will use those muscles a lot more than you will if you are using an eliptical machine, so running will benefit more than eliptical for tightening up your abs.

I've noticed the same thing. Marathon runners tend to be really skinny with stringy muscles, while sprinters almost always seem to be cut with good builds.

exactly. don't be fooled by those dumb charts on the treadmills and eliptical machines.

 

[vi edit]

Also take a look at marathon runners vs professional athletes such as TO or Alonzo Mourning. They aren't nearly as ripped at all, and I believe part of that is because of hte intensity of the training they do.

LOL!

You just compared a marathon runner to an NFL and an NBA player. It's just a completely different spectrum of athletic ability.

When you are running that long of a distance it's all about weight. The heavier you are, the harder it is to carry it. Plus, the more mass you have, the more you have rubbing against you. Friction is a killer for distance runners you wind up with bloody armpits, nipples, groins, ect. Bulky masses just aren't functional for that type of activity.

They aren't cut/muscular because they wouldn't be able to perform as well. It's not so much that the type of exercise prevents its from happening, it's more that they go out of their way to prevent it.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Also take a look at marathon runners vs professional athletes such as TO or Alonzo Mourning. They aren't nearly as ripped at all, and I believe part of that is because of hte intensity of the training they do.

LOL!

You just compared a marathon runner to an NFL and an NBA player. It's just a completely different spectrum of athletic ability.

When you are running that long of a distance it's all about weight. The heavier you are, the harder it is to carry it. Plus, the more mass you have, the more you have rubbing against you. Friction is a killer for distance runners you wind up with bloody armpits, nipples, groins, ect. Bulky masses just aren't functional for that type of activity.

They aren't cut/muscular because they wouldn't be able to perform as well. It's not so much that the type of exercise prevents its from happening, it's more that they go out of their way to prevent it.

Okay well use the example the other guy above said - a marathon runner to a sprinter.

 

[vi edit]

I also have to say that in the sprinter/distance runner argument a lot of it comes down to genetics.

Sprinters are born. Distance runners are made. A lot of genetics come into play on the types and amounts of muscle types your body has.

If you weren't geneticly predestined to have a high mass of fast twitch muslce, you can't really defeat your DNA and produce it through training or diet.

Sprinters from birth are dealt a different stack of cards than the rest of us sloths. Many of your more muscle dominated athletes have A LOT of genetics playing in their favor.

 

[Ktulu]

Compare:

Long Distance Runners vs. Sprinters

 

[Aharami]

the only time i had a six pack was when i used to sprint in high school track. short sudden bursts of energy is the best for eating thru the fat.

purbeast0, how many miles do you end up running in those 20 mins? im just trying to understand what you mean when you say "running hard". what pace are you running those 20 mins?

I run 4 times a week. 2.5 miles in 25 mins. comes out to about 6mph average. I do the first mile at 6.0 mph, then starting at 1.1 miles, for every .1 miles, i go up .1 mph. so by 1.5 miles Im doing 6.5 mph. Then I keep up that pace for .7 miles. Run the last .3 miles at 7.0 mph. By the end of this, im dead tired. eventually I wanna get upto 3 miles in 25 mins

This is usually after working out for 2 hrs

 

[Amused]

The key to cardio is to be progressive. No one routine works for long and you will plateau on the fat loss.

So with the long workout you need to progressively increase the resistance and with the short workout you need to progressively increase the time.

Either way will lose weight... but know that 20 minutes is not nearly as effective as 30 minutes. It takes 15-20 minutes for your body to start burning fat if you start cold, 10-15 minutes if you've been lifting weights before you started.

A good bet? Mix it up. Have lower resistence longer workouts and higher resistence shorter workouts. Meanwhile remain progressive in both.

BTW, for maximum weight loss cardio twice a day, 4-5 days a week works best. If you do this, the shorter, higher resistence 30 minute workout is ideal.

 

[newb111]

Originally posted by: Aharami
the only time i had a six pack was when i used to sprint in high school track. short sudden bursts of energy is the best for eating thru the fat.

purbeast0, how many miles do you end up running in those 20 mins? im just trying to understand what you mean when you say "running hard". what pace are you running those 20 mins?

I run 4 times a week. 2.5 miles in 25 mins. comes out to about 6min/mile average. I do the first mile at 6.0 mph, then starting at 1.1 miles, for every .1 miles, i go up .1 mph. so by 1.5 miles Im doing 6.5 mph. Then I keep up that pace for .7 miles. Run the last .3 miles at 7.0 mph. By the end of this, im dead tired. eventually I wanna get upto 3 miles in 25 mins

This is usually after working out for 2 hrs

2.5 miles in 25 minutes would be 10min/mile, not 6

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: Amused

BTW, for maximum weight loss cardio twice a day, 4-5 days a week works best. If you do this, the shorter, higher resistence 30 minute workout is ideal.

i wish i could devote that much time at the gym.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: newb111

Originally posted by: Aharami
the only time i had a six pack was when i used to sprint in high school track. short sudden bursts of energy is the best for eating thru the fat.

purbeast0, how many miles do you end up running in those 20 mins? im just trying to understand what you mean when you say "running hard". what pace are you running those 20 mins?

I run 4 times a week. 2.5 miles in 25 mins. comes out to about 6min/mile average. I do the first mile at 6.0 mph, then starting at 1.1 miles, for every .1 miles, i go up .1 mph. so by 1.5 miles Im doing 6.5 mph. Then I keep up that pace for .7 miles. Run the last .3 miles at 7.0 mph. By the end of this, im dead tired. eventually I wanna get upto 3 miles in 25 mins

This is usually after working out for 2 hrs

2.5 miles in 25 minutes would be 10min/mile, not 6

sorry, i meant 6mph (atleast thats what the treadmill says)
but yea, 10 min/mile

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Aharami
the only time i had a six pack was when i used to sprint in high school track. short sudden bursts of energy is the best for eating thru the fat.

purbeast0, how many miles do you end up running in those 20 mins? im just trying to understand what you mean when you say "running hard". what pace are you running those 20 mins?

I run 4 times a week. 2.5 miles in 25 mins. comes out to about 6min/mile average. I do the first mile at 6.0 mph, then starting at 1.1 miles, for every .1 miles, i go up .1 mph. so by 1.5 miles Im doing 6.5 mph. Then I keep up that pace for .7 miles. Run the last .3 miles at 7.0 mph. By the end of this, im dead tired.

This is usually after working out for 2 hrs

Well when I was in college, I usually did this routine for 30 mins ...

2 mins - 5.0mph
2 mins - 5.5mph
2 mins - 6.0mph
14 mins - 6.5mph
5 mins - 7mph
3 mins - 7.5mph
2 mins - 8mph

It was about 3.75 miles I believe. By running "hard" i mean it's tough for me to physically do. Part of it is because I have asthma and usually my wind goes before my actual physical strength goes.

There was a year in college when I was jogging for like 20 mins ... which was like 5.5 or 6.0mph, and I didn't get nearly as cut as I did when I was running just slighly harder as I was above. Same goes for when I was doing the eliptical machine.

But yah, basically by running "hard" i mean it's just physically tough to finish what my goal is set to. When I was doing eliptical machine for 25 mins, it wasn't tough. I would finish and not even feel that tired, whereas when I'm done running for those 20 mins, I have to go sit down for a while and just sit on my ass cause I'm dead tired. I can feel the effects of a good run much longer on my body (as in a couple of hours) than I can when doing something that isn't as tough for my body to physically do.

I'm now up to running 22mins of that pattern I showed above that I was doing. Hopefully tonight or saturday when I run next, I can do 25 mins. I'm going to try and push myself to do it.

The toughest part for me now (I've been trying to be on my lean cycle for about 2 weeks now) is the e ating part. Early in the days it's easy. I wake up, get my protein shake, then I eat a turkey sandwich around noon (eating one right now) and eat a roast beef sandwich around 3:30 or 4, then if I go workout before I go home sometimes I'll get one of those energy bars at the gym, but if not I'll just go home. Either way when I get home, I take a protein shake.

That is where the hard part comes in. I'll usually eat a decent meal for dinner (tuna sandwich or some chicken w/brown rice) but then sometimes I get my sweet tooth back. But I have been eating some peanuts, raisin bran or this oatmeal type of cereal, and some beef jerky.

I'm also cutting back big time on the diet sodas because they make me feel bloated and won't help me get leaned up, and that's been tough to coming off of atleast 3 20oz sodas a day heh.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: Amused

BTW, for maximum weight loss cardio twice a day, 4-5 days a week works best. If you do this, the shorter, higher resistence 30 minute workout is ideal.

i wish i could devote that much time at the gym.

Well, to do this you need to do at least one session at home for it to be practical.

Runners have it easy.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I have the best success with 20-25 minutes hard core cardio. It works for me and takes less time. Win/win.

I read a study a few years ago that claimed you increase your metabolism for an extended period of time by doing high intensity cardio. This means that when you are done working out and go park your butt on the couch or the cubicle you are burning calories at a greater rate. Of course it was just a study and could be wrong but like I said this approach has worked great for me.

I vary between bike and elliptical for the most part but sometimes hop on the treadmill if my knees are feeling okay.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Amused
The key to cardio is to be progressive. No one routine works for long and you will plateau on the fat loss.

So with the long workout you need to progressively increase the resistance and with the short workout you need to progressively increase the time.

Either way will lose weight... but know that 20 minutes is not nearly as effective as 30 minutes. It take 15-20 minutes for your body to start burning fat if you start cold, 10-15 minutes if you've been lifting weight before you started.

A good bet? Mix it up. Have lower resistence longer workouts and higher resistence shorter workouts. Meanwhile remain progressive in both.

BTW, for maximum weight loss cardio twice a day, 4-5 days a week works best. If you do this, the shorter, higher resistence 30 minute workout is ideal.

Yah when I do cardio I always start out and increase my resistance/speed. I won't go down until i'm in my cooldown phase.

I'm also really REALLY struggling on getting up early and doing cardio before work lol. Next week I'm going to make it my goal to get up atleast 1 day early and do cardio in the morning, then I'll see how I feel at night. If I could do it twice a day I would definitely do it, bt I just don't know if it's feasable ATM.

Usually when I do cardio right now, even on the days I lift, it's at night after I've lifted. Usually a few hours after. No one is in the little fitness center around 10pm or 11pm, so that's when I like to go casue I know it'll be empty and I'll have a treadmill.