CrossFit vs. HIIT: Which Workout Is Better for Strength, Fitness & Fat Loss?
There are two types of workouts that are guaranteed to put your whole body under good stress and these two workouts are CrossFit and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Engaging in either or both of these workouts will challenge both your physical and mental capabilities leaving you breathless and sweaty, but completely fulfilled with your session.
When you take up CrossFit or HIIT workout, you can be sure of improving your stamina, endurance, and strength, as your cardiovascular health gets an uplift. This is why both workouts are fast gaining in popularity amongst fitness enthusiasts of all demographics and experience levels.
However, even though people tend to put both workouts in the same bracket, they are both independent, separate workouts. This is where the CrossFit vs HIIT debate challenges fitness enthusiasts in deciding which one to choose.
The decision to choose either a CrossFit workout or a HIIT workout will greatly depend on the fitness goal of the individual rather than the level of difficulty of either workout.
High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT – What the Heck Is It?
High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT can be described as a type of workout that is characterized by short bursts of high-intensity exercise that is then consistently followed up by low-intensity recovery periods.
Take for example, a typical HIIT session could involve an intense workout for about 30 to 45 seconds followed by a 60 second period reserved for recovery. You then repeat this sequence on a number of occasions.
To achieve a successful HIIT session, you can either perform a series of bodyweight exercises and/or deploy a number of exercise equipment like sled, rowing, and stationary bike machines.
However, note that regardless of the exercise(s) you decide to perform, what really matters is the intensity at which you perform the exercise(s) and your interval structure.
High-intensity interval training is very flexible and as a beginner, you could start off with a simple walking exercise. You can alternate between intervals of normal pace walking and a much faster walking pace. But an experienced fitness enthusiast can take up cycling or running while also substantially increasing intensity levels.
What exactly is CrossFit Workout?
With CrossFit workout, you have a much more expansive training regimen. Typically, your CrossFit workout should combine functional fitness training with conditioning, Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, and strength training.
Your CrossFit training program would include exercises like deadlifts, rowing, burpees, squats, pull-ups, Olympic lifts, running, and a number of kettlebell exercises.
With your CrossFit workout, you have a variety of structures that include time workouts, strength sets, rounds, and repetitions for time.
So, one of the key distinctions in the CrossFit vs HIIT debate lies with the nature of each workout. While CrossFit focuses on an expansive training program with a structure that is built on a clear methodology, HIIT basically describes a method of training.
Also, while your CrossFit workout may include HIIT-centered conditioning, you need to be mindful that it is not all CrossFit training regimens that are HIIT.
CrossFit vs HIIT for Fat Loss
If your primary fitness goal is to lose body fat, neither CrossFit nor HIIT wins outright. Fat loss will depend mainly on the energy balance you are able to maintain over time.
While exercising will definitely ramp up your energy consumption which ultimately helps you in either gaining or preserving lean mass, your nutrition at the end of the day plays a crucial role in the outcome or otherwise of your training.
On the other hand, HIIT is very useful in providing cardiovascular fitness training in a time-efficient manner. With regards to CrossFit workout for fat loss, it is important to stress that this type of training combines both conditioning and resistance training which are known to promote fat loss.
If you are not sure of which workout to adopt, note that the best possible option for you should be that workout regimen you can execute at a consistent rate while at the same time running the right nutrition plan and properly recovering.
Therefore, if functional fitness training is your thing, but you are not too fond of running, then CrossFit workout should be top of your wishlist. But if you are keen on a bike or treadmill session in your training program, then HIIT workout might just be the right fit for you.
CrossFit vs HIIT: Which Workout Builds Muscle Mass More Efficiently
With HIIT workout, the primary focus is on building conditioning rather than offering a resistance training structure while with CrossFit workout, you have a good mix of both conditioning and resistance training.
What this means in layman’s terms is that you are more likely to promote muscle hypertrophy through CrossFit workout than you are with HIIT.
Nevertheless, if you want to truly build muscle mass as a key fitness objective, then you will need to structure a dedicated resistance training program for that purpose. This program will manage your training volume, chosen exercises, intensity levels, and overall recovery all in one plan.
However, if getting fitter and stronger is your primary concern, then a CrossFit workout will be the right choice for you.
CrossFit vs HIIT: Which Workout Is Best for Improving Cardiovascular Fitness?
When it comes to improving your cardiovascular fitness levels, both workouts will do the job, but in different ways. You can plan for high cardiovascular requirements as well as recovery periods with HIIT making it a great workout for controlling your level of intensity, duration of workout, and period of recovery.
For CrossFit enthusiasts, you will also challenge your cardiovascular fitness, especially when you perform exercises that involve movements that are repeated severally and under a limited time for rest. Therefore, CrossFit may be the right choice for you, if your aim is to engage in a cardio workout that you can integrate into a much more expanded training regimen.
CrossFit vs HIIT: Which Workout Appeals to Beginners?
This will all depend mainly on how your workout is structured. With HIIT, you don’t have to sprint until you are at the point of collapse. As a beginner, you can engage in low-impact intervals then steadily increase your intensity. You can also scale your exercises with CrossFit as a beginner, but you would need proper coaching as many exercises incorporated into a CrossFit workout regimen require some level of technical training to execute properly with good form.
For example, gymnastics and Olympic lifts are not workouts that a beginner may be readily capable of performing without proper coaching.
As a beginner, your primary concern should be learning the technique needed for executing a variety of exercises rather than preoccupying yourself with engaging exercises at optimal intensity levels.
CrossFit vs HIIT: What of Recovery?
It must be pointed out at this stage that both workouts are physically and mentally demanding and your body would require adequate rest and recovery time in order to gradually adapt to the demands of your preferred workout.
So, if you are performing several sessions of resistance training with regular weight lifting during the week coupled with running, playing sport, and working out the daily demands of life, including different sessions of high-intensity interval training may be detrimental to your overall recovery.
Therefore the best training program would be one that incorporates hard training workouts with relatively easier sessions, and adequate rest time.
Final Thoughts
To end the CrossFit vs HIIT debate, you should first consider your fitness goal before you decide on which workout to choose. HIIT is great if your fitness goal involves optimal conditioning achieved under structured cardio training intervals with controlled intensity and workout duration.
However, a CrossFit workout will be best suited to your fitness goal if you want to develop and improve your physical skill level while gaining optimal conditioning and strength. But if your main fitness goal is to promote hypertrophy, you don’t need to exclusively run either of these workouts.
You can start a resistance training regimen that will be dedicated to muscle growth while still strategically including elements of HIIT and CrossFit workouts to get the best of both worlds.
