10 or 30-s sprint interval training bouts enhance both aerobic and anaerobic performance

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 110; no. 1; pp. 153 - 160
• Main Authors: Hazell, Tom J., MacPherson, Rebecca E. K., Gravelle, Braden M. R., Lemon, Peter W. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.09.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Anaerobic Threshold; Athletic Performance; Bicycling; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Body Composition; Exercise; Exercise Test; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human Physiology; Humans; Interval training; Kinesiology; Male; Muscle Contraction; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Nutrition research; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Oxygen Consumption; Physical fitness; Power; Recovery of Function; Reproducibility of Results; Sports Medicine; Time Factors; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Workloads; Young Adult; United States > US; Time trial; Cycling; Endurance training; Wingate; O; Human; Maximum oxygen consumption; Physical training; Cyclism; Running locomotion; Sport; VO; Endurance; Performance; Interval
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-010-1474-y

We assessed whether 10-s sprint interval training (SIT) bouts with 2 or 4 min recovery periods can improve aerobic and anaerobic performance. Subjects ( n  = 48) were assigned to one of four groups [exercise time (s):recovery time (min)]: (1) 30:4, (2) 10:4, (3) 10:2 or (4) control (no training). Training was cycling 3 week −1 for 2 weeks (starting with 4 bouts session −1 , increasing 1 bout every 2 sessions, 6 total). Pre- and post-training measures included: V O 2max , 5-km time trial (TT), and a 30-s Wingate test. All groups were similar pre-training and the control group did not change over time. The 10-s groups trained at a higher intensity demonstrated by greater ( P  < 0.05) reproducibility of peak (10:4 = 96%; 10:2 = 95% vs. 30:4 = 89%), average (10:4 = 84%; 10:2 = 82% vs. 30:4 = 58%), and minimum power (10:4 = 73%; 10:2 = 69%; vs. 30:4 = 40%) within each session while the 30:4 group performed ~2 X ( P  < 0.05) the total work session −1 (83–124 kJ, 4–6 bouts) versus 10:4 (38–58 kJ); 10:2 (39–59 kJ). Training increased TT performance ( P  < 0.05) in the 30:4 (5.2%), 10:4 (3.5%), and 10:2 (3.0%) groups. V O 2max increased in the 30:4 (9.3%) and 10:4 (9.2%), but not the 10:2 group. Wingate peak power kg −1 increased ( P  < 0.05) in the 30:4 (9.5%), 10:4 (8.5%), and 10:2 (4.2%). Average Wingate power kg −1 increased ( P  < 0.05) in the 30:4 (12.1%) and 10:4 (6.5%) groups. These data indicate that 10-s (with either 2 or 4 min recovery) and 30-s SIT bouts are effective for increasing anaerobic and aerobic performance.