"Cardio" Prescriptions

[zmirvin]

It seems that when you prescribe HIIT to people you often choose work:rest ratios that are glycolytic. If someone's goal is not fat loss, don't you feel it would be more beneficial to perform intervals that target the alactic or aerobic energy systems since these will be more specific to powerlifting/getting stronger?

Just curious to hear your thoughts on programming HIIT.

Thanks!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Not usually, though I have done some 1:20 or 1:15 work:rest ratios with 5-10s work periods for some. My main beef is that the alactic anaerobic pathway gets trained pretty hard in a competitive lifter already and extra conditioning work there tends not to build a decent GPP base, which is what I'm really going for anyway in non weight loss applications of conditioning. Similarly, any training of the alactic pathway that is derived from alactic conditioning using common conditioning modalities I use (complexes, prowler, sled, rower, wingates) also is realized with the type of HIIT I recommend.

And no, the aerobic energy system is not more specific in any way, shape, or form to powerlifting or getting stronger unless someone is very deconditioned. Still, the HIIT I consistently recommend does a better job developing their aerobic conditioning than aerobic conditioning would, given the same time to train. I do use aerobic stuff in endurance applications, however.