When do you burn more calories?

Hi or low gear? pedaling faster but moving slower or pedaling slow with more resistance but moving faster?...just wondering. I am commuting to work and a I am loving it!... but at the same time I want to take advantage and burn as much calories as I can during my rides but I also want to gain strength on my legs. It looks like I burn more when I use the low gear instead of high gear in the same amount of time getting to my destiny.

Need some inputs :)

Which one raises your heartrate more? Option 2 would kill my knees. My thinking is that option 1 is better for cardio and 2 is better for strength.

I've read that the idea of "fat-burning exercise" is largely a myth, it's total amount that counts. I found a decent link here:

http://www.hornetjuice.com/fat-burning-myths.html

"Yes, it is true that you burn a greater percentage of fat during low intensity exercise (actually you burn the greatest percentage of fat during sleep which is the ultimate in low intensity activity). However, the total number of calories burned is less so the absolute number of fat calories burned is less."

Varying intensity is good for training in other ways, though, for building strength or speed, or working on technique.

Edited to add: sorry, I read too fast. You didn't ask about fat, but about total calories. I think the principle is still the same, the harder you work, the more muscle you build and the more calories you burn.

Whichever you can do the longest.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blueberry

Which one raises your heartrate more? Option 2 would kill my knees. My thinking is that option 1 is better for cardio and 2 is better for strength.

---

I am not sure...I think option 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lph

I've read that the idea of "fat-burning exercise" is largely a myth, it's total amount that counts. I found a decent link here:

http://www.hornetjuice.com/fat-burning-myths.html

"Yes, it is true that you burn a greater percentage of fat during low intensity exercise (actually you burn the greatest percentage of fat during sleep which is the ultimate in low intensity activity). However, the total number of calories burned is less so the absolute number of fat calories burned is less."

Varying intensity is good for training in other ways, though, for building strength or speed, or working on technique.

Edited to add: sorry, I read too fast. You didn't ask about fat, but about total calories. I think the principle is still the same, the harder you work, the more muscle you build and the more calories you burn.

---

Very interesting Info...thanks for sharing

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by redrhodie

Whichever you can do the longest.

---

Low gear at a fast pace



Thanks for the inputs ladies... :)

Whichever one keeps your heart rate the highest. It would differ for different people so there isn't a definitive answer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bathedinshadow

Whichever one keeps your heart rate the highest. It would differ for different people so there isn't a definitive answer.

---

Agreed, each of our bodies are different and our bodies do become more efficient through exercise and proper diet. 3 years ago, when I was 60 pounds heavier, I didn't have to do much to drop 1 pound, or even 5...that changed of course. Our bodies adapt to our activity level so this is also something to keep in mind as time continues. As our cardiovascular endurance increases it does become more difficult to raise the heart rate.