Phil Heath is a seven-time Mr. Olympia who won the title from 2011 to 2017. Throughout his illustrious career, Phil has beaten bodybuilding icons like Jay Cutler, Kai Greene, and more. Fans have admired Phil for his balanced physique and exceptional muscle fullness. The former champion won because he followed a strict training regime and a steady diet.

There is a common misconception that bodybuilders dislike cardio. While that may be debatable, Phil Heath never ignored cardio and performed high-intensity interval training. The seven-time Mr. Olympia once explained why he preferred it for maintaining the ideal body fat percentage.

Why the bodybuilding icon preferred HIIT

Phil Heath once gave some training tips to Greg Merritt of The Barbell. Phil highlighted the necessity of doing cardio. “I did my Olympia cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, “ said Phil. The former champion also revealed the type of cardio he preferred and why. “I like HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio.”, said Phil.

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“When doing it, you alternate periods of lower intensity cardio with periods of higher intensity cardio. It’s the most effective way of burning fat.”, Phil added. The former champion bodybuilder explained he used HIIT frequently while preparing for the Mr. Olympia contest. Health said he used to alternate between two minutes of running and walking on the inclined treadmill.

Besides being able to burn fat more effectively, Phil preferred HIIT because of the variation. “Psychologically, I like the change of pace.” said the seven-time Mr. Olympia winner. Phil also said alternating between high and low intensity made it easier to “go all-out for those two minutes and really move.”

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Phil finally said many bodybuilders dislike cardio. However, most bodybuilders perform steady-state cardio instead of HIIT. Besides making the workout more effective, Phil said, “It’s (HIIT) a lot less boring.”

Phil Heath on having patience 

During the same conversation, Phil Heath spoke about having a patient mindset when approaching bodybuilding. Whether it’s burning fat through HIIT or increasing muscle mass, Phil said, “Patience is number one”. Phil stressed it could take years, not months, before seeing any significant results.

The former Mr. Olympia further added that it could take longer than a decade to achieve a stage-worthy physique. 

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While Phil’s preferred method of cardio has been HIIT, many bodybuilders also prefer steady-state cardio. In fact, HIIT vs. steady-state cardio has been a topic of debate on internet forums for a long time. Which type of cardio do you prefer?