The 5 Best Cardio Routines for Fat Loss, According to Fitness YouTubers Buff Dudes
From old school bodybuilder exercises to how to deal with body insecurities, fitness YouTubers Hudson and Brandon White – aka Buff Dudes – have covered all manner of gym-related topics since launching their channel 10 years ago.
In their latest video, the brothers turned their attention to cardio. Specifically, the types of cardio you’re more likely to stick to long-term. Here’s what they had to say:
‘As with everything fitness related, there are many videos on the subject of cardio for fat loss,’ says Hudson, ‘[so] we decided to cover it from a perspective that other videos often neglect, which also happens to be the most important: what cardio is going to be the most beneficial for your specific needs, but also which one you’ll stick with for the long haul?’
Steady-state cardio
The duo describe steady-state cardio as ‘any form of cardio where you maintain a steady intensity for a set period of time’.
‘One of our favourite methods of performing a steady-state cardio is outdoors, first thing in the morning, either fasted or having consumed a protein shake,’ says Hudson.
The benefits? The pair say steady-state cardio is great for beginners as it’s low impact and can be performed in a fasted state. They add that the downsides are that it can be boring and it may not be suitable for those with a busy schedule or those who don’t have access to a suitable outdoor space.
Supersets
Most gym-goers are familiar with supersets. ‘Aptly named for their super activation, super stimulation and super cardio qualities, oh, and they’re super fucking hard,’ says Huson. ‘Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.
‘You’re not only stimulating your muscles through hypertrophy, but now with a small amount of rest, you’re elevating your heart rate for an extended amount of time. You’ll most likely hit close to your peak heart rate, especially if you’re super setting compound exercises.’
He says the downsides of supersets are that they can be difficult for beginners to perform and that more fatigued muscles can higher the risk of sustaining an injury.
HIIT
‘High intensity interval training is any form of cardio activity that alternates between periods of higher intensity with periods of lower intensity,’ says Hudson.
While HIIT training is ‘time efficient, burns more calories in less time, and improves your cardiovascular conditioning’, the main downsides are that it can be tough for beginners to master and can risk injury if it’s not performed correctly.
Virtual reality
A form of cardio you may not have previously considered, but one which is becoming more popular, Buff Dudes say virtual reality is ‘a new and existing way to exercise’.
The benefits: ‘It can be so damn fun, you forget you’re even working out. Little space required. High intensity games can burn an absurd amount of calories in a very short period of time.’
Drawbacks: ‘The device itself can be costly. Sweat can be a major problem. Sneaky injuries can accumulate such as rotator cuff or tennis elbow for high impact games such as The Thrill of the Fight.’
12-3-30
A cardio method that was most recently popularised by TikTok, but ‘about as old school as cardio routines get’, the 12-3-30 method is where ‘you set your treadmill to include an incline of 12 and a speed of 3-miles-per-hour and walk for 30 minutes’.'
The Buff Dudes say the benefits are that it ‘mimics uphill walking, which increases heart rate, calories burned and muscle activity’. It’s also low impact and gentle on your joints.
The downsides? ‘It requires a treadmill, the incline can be problematic for beginners or those with limited mobility [and] it can become boring for those looking for more variety.’
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