Why queen of HIIT Kayla Itsines is turning to a new training style: LISS

'It's so effective'

Whether you’re new to your fitness journey, jumping back on the bandwagon after an injury, or simply want to start seeing results, Kayla Itsines wants you to try LISS. Here’s what you need to know. 

There are few people more qualified to speak on the intricacies of HIIT training than globally recognised personal trainer Kayla Itsines. For years, the co-founder and head trainer at Sweat has worked tirelessly to connect people to exercise through her curated workout guides – revolutionising the female fitness landscape along the way.  

But now, the queen of HIIT wants her clients, followers and members of the fitness community to turn their attention to another effective form of training; LISS. 

Chatting with Body+Soul, Itsines explains why slowing down our workouts (and our heart rates!) may be the secret to unlocking our fitness goals, and how to incorporate the training style into any routine. 

LISS is a form of training – not a workout

While the training style known as HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is often packaged into a 45-minute sweat-inducing workout, LISS training – or rather, low-intensity steady-state training – cannot be confined to a single workout.

“When I talk about LISS with my clients, I have to make it very clear that LISS is a training style and it's not a form of exercise,” clarifies Itsines. “So, LISS is not a walk, LISS is a form of training, and low-intensity steady-state means your heart rate would stay at a steady state.”

Unlike HIIT training, which is shaped using short bursts of intense cardiovascular activity with intermittent rest periods, LISS training encourages people to maintain consistent movement at a lower level of unwavering intensity. 

Not to be confused with any standard lower-intensity workout (such as Yoga or a casual walk), LISS training requires consistency from the beginning to end of each workout, “As long as you're not stopping – you're not stopping for coffee or you're not stopping so your dog can go and sniff something – You're walking consistently at the same pace,” Itsines says.

Itsines says the easiest LISS workout to monitor (and the most accessible) is walking. Image: Supplied

How to incorporate LISS into any training routine

Though you could technically apply LISS to any form of exercise that keeps your heart rate at a steady state for a certain amount of time, Itsines says the easiest one to monitor (and the most accessible) is walking, followed by cycling. 

“The reason that personal trainers will put this forward as their recommended cardio base is they know that people go in too fast, especially women,” says Itsines. “They want to start doing a HIIT training routine, so then say, ‘What can I do on the other days?’ You can do LISS.”

“It's easy on your joints. It's so effective. And honestly, it sounds silly, but it's better than nothing.”

When it comes to working LISS into your current fitness routine, Itsines says it’s best to alternate lower-intensity sessions with your usual training styles. For example, if strength training is your go-to, you might structure your week as follows:

Monday: strength session (upper body)

Tuesday: LISS

Wednesday: Strength session (lower body)

Thursday: LISS

Friday: Strength session (full body)

Saturday: Casual walks with friends – not training

Sunday: Rest

It’s best to alternate lower-intensity sessions with your usual training styles. Image: iStock

Why Aussies should be prioritising LISS workouts

With so many hard and fast workout trends emerging in the fitness space, it can be difficult to not compare your workout goals and efforts with the extreme training styles that are trending on social media. 

As women, we put so much pressure on ourselves, and I think that with social media there's that added pressure” Itsines says. “When you're looking at that and you're new to fitness that can be super intimidating.”

“But, that person just walked at the start and unfortunately you're not going to get there until you do the basics. There is pressure, but that's why these types of training exist to be an entry-level and a foundation level for people wanting to get into fitness.”

LISS is also a wonderfully effective approach for anyone recovering from an injury or coming out of a postpartum period, “You can really get in touch with your body and then it gives you the time after to stop, assess and say, ‘Okay, this is how I feel, I'm going to stretch it out’,” the personal trainer says. 

“Walk with a friend at a steady state and you feel absolutely incredible, that's the first thing that will help you get that routine.”

The perfect time to try LISS

Teaming up with the hydration experts at Powerade, Itsines and her Sweat team are tackling some of the top barriers to working out, such as affordability, time management and lack of guidance. 

For a limited time, Australians can access a free 6-month membership to Itsine’s Sweat app – packed with over 13,000 workouts, 60 training programs and 18 world-class personal trainers – by simply purchasing a Powerade Active Water at your local supermarket, petrol station, or convenience store. 

It’s a partnership that Itsines hopes will remind Aussies to prioritise their health and fitness, starting with something as simple – yet crucial – as hydration. 

“I think that these two factors – hydration plus LISS together – is a fantastic combo because I think a lot of people miss that element,” she says. “I think pairing these two together is a great combo for a person who is just starting out in fitness.”  

Originally published as Why queen of HIIT Kayla Itsines is turning to a new training style: LISS