Low Intensity Steady State (known as LISS) is the polar opposite of High Intensity Interval Training (known as HIIT) but both are equally great to help achieve effective fat loss. We’ve done a fair few pieces over recent times about the benefits of HIIT, so now we’re going to take a minute to explain some benefits of stepping down your training load for a session or two and incorporating LISS into your training plan.
Anything that gets the heart rate up from resting state can only be a good thing, and LISS does just that. LISS increases the heart rate and therefore increases blood flow around the body, through your muscle and tissue and promotes better circulation and recovery.
LISS helps improve the body’s metabolic rate for the reason explained above. Getting your heart rate up just out of its resting state will burn more calories. Burning more calories means burning more fat, but only in the instance where you maintain a calorie deficit and don’t consume extra to compensate for your increased activity.
LISS helps you stay motivated to stay on track to achieve your fat loss goal, this is because even though it’s not a killer session like yesterday’s HIIT, or tomorrow’s Lift session it’s still activity, it’s still burning calories and pushing you into calorie deficit, therefore it’s still steps in the right direction.
LISS helps avoid fatigue. As we explained in an overview of recovery in general you’re better advised to schedule in these low volume low intensity sessions as opposed to over reaching your body’s capabilities for too long and having to take a period of forced recovery. LISS helps things keep moving along the way they should and helps rebuild your body’s strength and condition, promotes good circulation throughout the body and combats fatigue.