This is the reason why everyone is currently fixated on LISS

What is LISS?

LISS is for Low-Intensity Steady State training, meaning you strive for a low level of effort for a long, continuous period of time rather than pushing yourself to the limit for brief bursts.

LISS was the preferred exercise for burning calories for a long time, but it was swiftly passed up in favor of its younger, faster cousin, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Those of you who hung up your walking shoes right away may have jumped the gun because LISS has numerous advantages that shouldn’t be disregarded.

In fact, sticking to both LISS and HIIT in your weekly program may help you achieve your goals more rapidly than if you only did one.

Benefits of LISS

According to Ogletree, the main advantage of LISS cardio is that it boosts circulation and heart health, lowering the risk of heart disease. The advantages don’t stop there, either.

It promotes healing.

According to Ogletree, LISS is a wise choice for the day following a demanding strength training session or a day of intense exertion. LISS causes your heart to circulate blood throughout your active body, which may provide your muscles with nutrition to repair any little damage from your rigorous workouts and flush out metabolic waste products. 1 The outcome? Improved recuperation and decreased discomfort will prepare you for your next challenging training session.

Beginners will find the workout manageable.

You can safely begin a LISS workout even if it has been so long since you laced your shoes that you have forgotten where they are. Because you are only exercising at a low intensity that is relative to you, LISS is ideal for all fitness levels. If you’re maintaining the proper intensity zone while walking a 20-minute mile, you’re doing it precisely perfectly. It doesn’t matter if someone else can jog an 8-minute mile pace for their LISS exercises.

It helps burn calories.

LISS burns calories just like any activity. According to Ogletree, “LISS cardio may also assist you in achieving a caloric deficit, which is essential for weight loss or fat loss goals.” However, Ogletree advises against believing the myth that exercising is the most effective strategy to burn calories and lose weight. Exercises involving HIIT and strength training are likely to burn just as many calories as aerobic exercises both during and after the session.

You can leave using it.

You can enjoy a lot of cardio exercises that are excellent for LISS workouts outside. Getting some fresh air while exercising, whether you’re snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, running, bicycling, rollerblading, or walking, can lift your spirits. Any activity can elevate mood, but studies have shown that exercise outside may do so more so than exercise indoors. 2 Additionally, it might be more interesting and fun.

If you’re worn out, it’s a good choice.

A LISS workout can be an appealing substitute if you simply don’t have the energy to perform heavy squats or sprints after a long day. While avoiding the demanding, high gears of a more severe workout, you may still get your body moving and work toward your fitness objectives.

Your endurance is boosted by it.

Getting ready for a marathon? Would you like to hike the Grand Canyon? LISS exercises could serve as the starting point for training for endurance competitions.

It eases tension.

Even though exercise normally has a powerful de-stressing effect, intense exercises tax the body and mind in a similar way to a work deadline or near-accident. In fact, a 2008 study indicated that low-intensity exercise actually lowers cortisol, whereas high-intensity exercise raises it. 3 As a result, LISS provides all of the stress-relieving advantages of exercise without adding any new stress.

It’s unpaid.

For LISS, you don’t need any specialized gear or a gym membership. You can stream a Vinyasa Flow class from the convenience of your living room or go for a walk, hike, run, or jog.

Drawbacks of LISS

Even while it would be ideal if all things in life were only good, LISS, like most things, has some downsides.

It might be tedious.

LISS cardio can be monotonous and uninteresting, especially when done in a gym environment where you are confined to a machine and forced to stare at whatever is in front of you, according to Ogletree. However, Ogletree advises enlisting a companion to exercise with you in order to avoid getting bored. It should be simple to carry on a conversation because you are working at lower intensities, she claims.

It takes longer.

LISS exercises are less effective than HIIT exercises since they are, by definition, less intensive. Despite the fact that exercising has benefits far beyond just burning calories, conducting simple or moderate exercise takes much longer than doing severe exercise to burn the same number of calories.

It might make you feel more hungry.

According to Ogletree, LISS can boost appetite and the hunger response. LISS may increase your appetite if the session lasts longer than 30 minutes because of the significant energy expenditure needed to maintain the activity, according to the author. If your aim is to lose weight or body fat, then eating more is not an issue, but this can work against you.

It could result in overuse injuries.

Ogletree warns that this disadvantage could increase tiredness and increase your risk of overtraining or overuse issues. You must balance your training with strength exercises, stretches, and mobility work to allow your body the time it needs to rest and recuperate, especially after high-impact activities like running. Your muscles will remain strong and robust if you continue to build strength with workouts like squats, lunges, deadlifts, bent-over rows, and push-ups, according to Ogletree. Exercises that improve your flexibility and mobility will also help you keep your mobility.

The best advise for avoiding overtraining is to pay attention to your body. “Remember that exercising shouldn’t make you feel worse; it should improve your life. You may want to cut back on your workout if you start to feel run down, experience chronic fatigue, brain fog, or persistent muscle discomfort for extended periods of time (over several days or weeks), suggests Ogletree.

Who Should Perform LISS?

The quick response is everybody. Starting with LISS will enable you to gradually raise your fitness levels without running the danger of overtraining or injuries that can occur with more strenuous workouts if you are new to exercising or are just getting back into it. Even if you are a fitness addict, LISS is still necessary for cardiovascular training and recuperation, not to mention the stress-reduction and mental health advantages.

How to Do LISS Properly?

The best thing is this: It doesn’t matter if you enjoy rollerblading, rollerskating, hiking, swimming, or any other form of exercise. Furthermore, getting started doesn’t require a pricey private trainer or a high-end app. Because you keep the same intensity throughout the workout, LISS is rather simple, according to Ogletree. Don’t exercise at a heart rate more than 65 percent of your maximum for any specific exercise modality. Do not worry if you lack a heart rate monitor; simply aim for a 5 to 6 effort level on a 1 to 10 scale (10 being your absolute maximum, giving-it-everything effort).

Give your body a few minutes to warm up and get up to that working intensity, advises Ogletree, whether you’re walking, rollerblading, rowing, or using an elliptical trainer. According on your fitness level and goals, LISS workouts can last as little as five minutes or as long as sixty. But more doesn’t always equal better. Limit yourself to 30 to 60 minutes. Beyond that, using LISS may cause your workout to begin taxing your body considerably more than it was intended to.

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