It seems to me that most bodybuilders don't. From what I've read and seen, most bodybuilders favor fasted morning cardio at 65% max heart rate for 45 minutes. Pretty much the exact opposite of HIIT. Yet with all the research I've done (first hand and second) on HIIT, it seems to be far more effective at burning bodyfat. I run sprints for 20 minutes once a week and I also swim high intensity freestyle lap intervals for 20 minutes once a week. That's only 40 minutes of cardio a week, even less if you subtract the rest time between intervals. And my bodyfat is 8% and dropping. My favorite thing about HIIT is the fact that it's a form of anabolic cardio. So that means that all my training, weights and cardio is anabolic. Not to mention the extreme increase of VO2 max that occurs as a result of HIIT. Your body starts using oxygen like nobodys business. The increase of blood flow and the recovery period that follows is like nothing else. As long as you do it at the highest intensity possible. By the end of the last set of sprints I jump rope to near failure (after the sprints, it doesnt take long to hit that point) and if you're not hitting the ground literally gasping for air about to die, you're not doing it right. Remember, this is all your cardio for the week. Add in some L-Carnitine or Acetyl-L Carnitine and the fat loss it that much more dramatic. You'll hit areas of your hamstrings, quads and glutes you never knew existed. You'll know this because the parts of your legs that are sore the following days after sprints are different than the areas that are sore after your typical leg workout. What's also interesting is the fact that the calves are used very little durring sprinting in comparision. If your carrying your body at maximum speed you bet your ass that's all hamstrings quads and glutes. Even your abs are sore the next day, especially lower abs. It's a great way to train. I'm a big advocite of getting out of the gym at least a few times a week to train.
If this sounds like something you're concidering, make sure you research how to sprint. Study all the best olympic sprinters and their techniques. It also won't take you long to notice the lean mass these guys carry. There is a technique to spriting just like everything else. Don't just go out there and run your ass off. You need to understand the phases the body goes through when rapidly opening the gait of locomotion. The better your understanding of this, the more effective your workout will become and the faster you will become. Which is the most thrilling part. Getting faster. I live right by the University of Michigan, so there's open tracks and ideal places to sprint all over the place. Right now I'm spriting 100 yards, maintaining top speed. People take notice when you're that fast. Also make sure you run straight sprints, no suicides or running ladders. The idea is to maintain top speed for as long as you possibly can.
Hope this helps and gives some ideas.
If this sounds like something you're concidering, make sure you research how to sprint. Study all the best olympic sprinters and their techniques. It also won't take you long to notice the lean mass these guys carry. There is a technique to spriting just like everything else. Don't just go out there and run your ass off. You need to understand the phases the body goes through when rapidly opening the gait of locomotion. The better your understanding of this, the more effective your workout will become and the faster you will become. Which is the most thrilling part. Getting faster. I live right by the University of Michigan, so there's open tracks and ideal places to sprint all over the place. Right now I'm spriting 100 yards, maintaining top speed. People take notice when you're that fast. Also make sure you run straight sprints, no suicides or running ladders. The idea is to maintain top speed for as long as you possibly can.
Hope this helps and gives some ideas.
