Since then, through the power of social media, Bradley has engineered a wellness platform like no other – providing fitness enthusiasts around the world with new workout routines and daily motivational posts (and a healthy dose of eye candy on our Insta feed…).
If you love health and fitness then you most likely follow Bradley Simmonds on Instagram.
The former professional footballer for clubs such as Chelsea FC and Queens Park Rangers went on to become a PT for the likes of top footballers including John Terry and Theo Walcott.
As well as being the go-to fitness guru for the world’s best athletes, a social media sensation and a best-selling author (Bradley has just released his first book, Get It Done: My Plan, Your Goal: 60 Recipes and Workout Sessions for a Fit, Lean Body), Bradley is now resident fitness columnist.
Every fortnight, Bradley will be sharing his best fitness and health tips with us. Over to you, Bradley…
Now you know who I am, I’m going to kick start my column by discussing some of the hottest fitness trends, starting with LISS!
So firstly, what is LISS?
LISS is an acronym for “Low – Intensity Steady – State” and therefore, LISS focuses on low-intensity cardio for longer periods of time.
LISS is becoming more and more popular and over the last couple of years, I’ve been enjoying it too.
LISS training can include things like cycling, hiking, swimming or walking, anything that you can complete at a steady pace and for a good period of time (without stopping). I aim for at least 45-60 minutes worth of LISS training at a time in order to reap the benefits.
I advise my clients to include LISS in their weekly training regimes to compliment any HIIT or weight training they do. I think together, you get the most effective results for the body and mind.
I tried the at-home workout that David Beckham, Kate Hudson and Michelle Obama love, and I’m fully converted
Is LISS more effective than HIIT?
Despite the two being very different, they are not to be compared. Both work in very different ways and both are effective for fat loss. If anything, including both methods into your fitness regime will help you see maximum results for fat loss and improved cardiovascular fitness.
I think HIIT is great for those who struggle to fit exercise into their busy schedules during the week. You can include effective 30 minute HIIT sessions at home. With LISS you don’t have that luxury, it does require more time and planning. However…
Benefits of LISS
Despite being seemingly more time consuming, LISS has so many advantages I think we could all benefit from.
Improved Mental Health: Long walks, hiking, swimming or cycling, on your own or with a close friend could not only be a great way to get some all-important exercise into your life but it’s also a great way to de-stress, communicate and reflect on how you are feeling. There are some beautiful parks and walking routes in the UK with amazing scenery, so instead of boozy brunches or shopping, why not try something different, plus long walks in beautiful places cost nothing at all!
Simple and free acts of self-care to try if you’re feeling anxious
LISS is FREE and requires 0 skills: If you want to lose weight, exercise more, get fitter but don’t have the money for gym memberships then LISS might just be the type of training for you. It doesn’t have to cost a thing. All you need is a good playlist, podcast or companion to keep you entertained. You don’t need someone to perfect your technique and you don’t need any equipment, just good supportive trainers. No excuses.
LISS helps to burn fat: Training at a lower intensity means more oxygen is available to your body and fat needs this oxygen in order to be broken down. So the more oxygen you give your body the more fat you may be able to burn. BRILLIANT!
If you chose to only do LISS as a form of exercise, however, you may eventually start to burn muscle as well as fat, hence why including it with other forms of training such as HIIT and strength training is vital. Muscle is important for our body’s mobility, strength, balance and metabolism so we don’t want to demolish it. LISS training is a great starting point and addition to your training schedule, but definitely don’t completely rely on it as your sole form of exercise.
LISS can help with recovery: If your training has been quite intense all week then finishing the week of with a long walk or cycle can be just what you need. We don’t want to drive our bodies into exhaustion or fatigue; we want to avoid injury as much as possible too, so including LISS at the end of a tough week is advisable. I love using my weekends to include this sort of training.
So there you have it, LISS! With so much hype around HIIT and weight training it is great to be able to share a style of training that is a lot less stressful on the body but still super effective.
