HIIT or 30 Minute Run in Morning vs. Morning Lifting

[freshelfpie]

Greetings, Jordan. Apologies for the length here, trying to be thorough. I fit the profile of your "fluffy" novice. 50 Years old, 6'3", 240lbs, a guesstimate of body fat percentage would be 30-35% Also through various dieting, ketogenic (Atkins) and Weight Watchers included, I've dropped my weight from an all time high in 2006 of 330lbs, with obviously a much higher body fat. Though I've done HIIT via Kettlebells for three different one-month periods in the last couple of years, I am a novice to the barbell compound lifts and Starting Strength program. I am six weeks into the linear progression, and my lifts are increasing nicely, though they started pretty low for a guy my size. I have thus far only been counting calories and protein, averaging about 3500kcal and 225g. Have not been measuring carbs/fat. I can see obvious muscle growth, particularly in my legs, but here's the issue: started six weeks ago at 232lbs, and the amount of fat around my midsection hasn't budged. Pants aren't any tighter, but not any looser, either. All this to get to the question: I want to add either the 30-minute walk or the HIIT you suggest, but due to schedule, I do my lifting M-W-F at 7am. Would the half hour walk interfere with the lifts if done beforehand? My assumption would be that HIIT prior to lifting would be a bad idea. Thanks for your time.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I would lift in the AM at 730 and then do HIIT on off days or after training.

[freshelfpie]

Thanks, Jordan. Will try it on off days and watch my recovery for the lifts carefully. Probably will work with a 16kg kettlebell for snatches and swings. What intervals and rests do you recommend. Thanks again.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Thanks, Jordan. Will try it on off days and watch my recovery for the lifts carefully. Probably will work with a 16kg kettlebell for snatches and swings. What intervals and rests do you recommend. Thanks again.

Can you do something else like ride a bike, push a car, jump rope? I'd do 20-30s ON, 2 min rest.

[oscar231]

Can you do something else like ride a bike, push a car, jump rope? I'd do 20-30s ON, 2 min rest.

Can you say more about pushing a car? I don't have a prowler, but I guess I could push my car, with my wife at the wheel. You said 20-30 sec on, 2 min rest. How many times? I'm thinking 5 would already be quite an effort.

[trick_ster]

Can you do something else like ride a bike, push a car, jump rope? I'd do 20-30s ON, 2 min rest.

So, kettlebells are not on the list of approved HIIT tools?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Can you say more about pushing a car? I don't have a prowler, but I guess I could push my car, with my wife at the wheel. You said 20-30 sec on, 2 min rest. How many times? I'm thinking 5 would already be quite an effort.

5-7 x would be a good place to start. Just push it as fast as you can (not downhill)

So, kettlebells are not on the list of approved HIIT tools?

No. Can't do them hard enough for them to really be "intervals"

[trick_ster]

No. Can't do them hard enough for them to really be "intervals"

I don't understand that.

What is "hard enough" in this context? How high it can raise the heart rate during an interval?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Heart rate is one metric, yes. Think about it like this...what can you do "harder" sprint up a hill for 20s or swing a KB for 20s? The running is dummy proof and you can go all out because it's (relatively) low skill and doesn't take lots of thinking to get a 100% effort. KB swings and BB complexes can work when you can't sprint/wingate/prowl...but they are not the same thing.

[Mambo71]

Hi Jordan,

Do you think that a HIIT routine using a jump (skipping-UK) rope is a viable option? It is certainly cost and space efficient for those of us that train at home. Would use of a heart rate monitor enable some sort of progression? And those that have tried it- is skill a limiting factor to reaching the necessary intensity?