The Effects of High vs. Low Time Spent Near VO2max During Two Work-matched High Intensity Interval Training.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is used to define cardiorespiratory fitness, which is important to health and sport performance in humans. Although different types of training can improve VO2max, the high intensity interval training is recognized as one of the best ways to do it. Furthermore, it has long been speculated that high intensity interval training that elicits a high time spent near VO2max could be the best way to improve VO2max. However, this theory has not been verified. Thus, the investigators performed a randomized controlled trial with crossover in healthy individuals who underwent two high intensity interval training protocols of two weeks, being a workout with longer and other with shorter time spent near VO2max.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: VO2max
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise training

Detailed Description

Fifteen participants were enrolled in a randomized trial with crossover to perform two weeks of high intensity interval training with high (i.e., five times 2 minutes of work and 1 minute of recovery; T-2min:1min) or low (i.e., ten times 1 minutes of work and 30 seconds of recovery; T-1min:30seg) time spent near VO2max. The work intensity was adjusted at 85% and 87% of power output achieved at the end of incremental test for the first and second week, respectively. Before and after the T-2min:1min and T-1min:30seg, the participants performed tests to determine VO2max, lactate threshold, muscle oxidative capacity, pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics, power output achieved at the end of incremental test, and power output related to Wingate anaerobic test. The training programs had a washout period of at least one month.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • Santa Catarina
    • Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 88080-350
      • University of the State of Santa Catarina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male ≥ 18 years;
• No known musculoskeletal disorders;
• Apparently healthy
• Physically active according to American College of Sports Medicine standards and recommendations (Garber et al., 2011; RIEBE et al., 2015).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Taking any medication that could affect aerobic parameters;
• Smokers;
• Involved in an aerobic training program at the start of the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High intensity interval training with high time spent near VO2max; Participants performed high intensity interval training with high time spent near VO2max three times a week for two weeks. All training sessions consisted of five times 2 minutes of work and 1 minute of passive recovery. The work intensity was adjusted at 85% and 87% of power output achieved at the end of incremental test for the first and second week, respectively. The training sessions were performed using cycle ergometer. Findings were compared to high intensity interval training with low time spent near VO2max, which followed the same exercise frequency, intensity and total duration.	Other: Exercise training; Two weeks of high intensity interval training with high or low time spent near VO2max.
Experimental: High intensity interval training with low time spent near VO2max; Participants performed high intensity interval training with low time spent near VO2max three times a week for two weeks. All training sessions consisted of ten times 1 minutes of work and 30 seconds of passive recovery. The work intensity was adjusted at 85% and 87% of power output achieved at the end of incremental test for the first and second week, respectively. The training sessions were performed using cycle ergometer. Findings were compared to high intensity interval training with high time spent near VO2max, which followed the same exercise frequency, intensity and total duration.	Other: Exercise training; Two weeks of high intensity interval training with high or low time spent near VO2max.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximal oxygen uptake	The highest 15 seconds VO2 average determined from rolling averages of 5 seconds samples measured during incremental test or confirmation test of VO2max.	Change at Maximal oxygen uptake after two weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Lactate threshold	The work intensity at which blood lactate concentration increased 1 mmol.L-1 above baseline.	Change at Lactate threshold after two weeks
Muscle oxidative capacity	Rate recovery of muscle oxygen consumption (k-mV̇O2) of the vastus lateralis, with the k-mV̇O2 indicating muscle oxidative capacity.	Change at Muscle oxidative capacity after two weeks
Pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics	The on-transient response for V̇O2 was fitted using a mono-exponential model, which the rate constant (k-pV̇O2) for the kinetics of V̇O2 was calculated as 1/tau (expressed in min-1).	Change at Pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics after two weeks
Power output achieved at the end of incremental test	Power output achieved at the end of ramp incremental test (20 W.min-1).	Change at Power output achieved at the end of incremental test after two weeks
Wingate anaerobic test	Peak power, mean power, and minimum power were defined as the highest mechanical power output, the average power sustained throughout the 30-s period, and the power output attained before the end of the test, respectively.	Change at Wingate anaerobic test after two weeks
Time spent near VO2max	Time spent at or above 90% or 95% of VO2max.	First to the last day of test or training, an average of 4 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Session-rating of perceived exertion	The original 10-point version.	First to the last day of test or training, an average of 4 weeks
Perceived Recovery Status Scale	The original 10-point version from Laurent et al (2011).	First to the last day of test or training, an average of 4 weeks
Heart rate	Measured before and during exercise and used to determine 1) the highest heart rate, 2) the time spent near highest heart rate, 3) training impulse, and 4) heart rate variability.	First to the last day of test or training, an average of 4 weeks
Adipose tissue thickness	Adipose tissue thickness measured by a B-mode ultrasound imaging.	Change at Adipose tissue thickness after two weeks
Body mass	Body mass measured by a digital scale.	Change at Body mass after two weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of the State of Santa Catarina
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: João G Raimundo, PhD, Member of Human Performance Research Group

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Buchheit M, Laursen PB. High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part I: cardiopulmonary emphasis. Sports Med. 2013 May;43(5):313-38. doi: 10.1007/s40279-013-0029-x.
• Laursen PB, Jenkins DG. The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes. Sports Med. 2002;32(1):53-73. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232010-00003.
• Lisboa FD, Raimundo JAG, Salvador AF, Pereira KL, Turnes T, Diefenthaeler F, Oliveira MFM, Caputo F. Acute Cardiopulmonary, Metabolic, and Neuromuscular Responses to Severe-Intensity Intermittent Exercises. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Feb;33(2):408-416. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002130.
• Lisboa FD, Salvador AF, Raimundo JA, Pereira KL, de Aguiar RA, Caputo F. Decreasing Power Output Increases Aerobic Contribution During Low-Volume Severe-Intensity Intermittent Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Sep;29(9):2434-40. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000914.
• Midgley AW, Mc Naughton LR. Time at or near VO2max during continuous and intermittent running. A review with special reference to considerations for the optimisation of training protocols to elicit the longest time at or near VO2max. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2006 Mar;46(1):1-14.
• Midgley AW, Mc Naughton LR, Wilkinson M. Criteria and other methodological considerations in the evaluation of time at V.O2max. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2006 Jun;46(2):183-8.
• Raimundo JAG, Turnes T, de Aguiar RA, Lisboa FD, Loch T, Ribeiro G, Caputo F. The Severe Exercise Domain Amplitude: A Comparison Between Endurance Runners and Cyclists. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2019 Mar;90(1):3-13. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2018.1549356. Epub 2019 Jan 17.
• Turnes T, de Aguiar RA, Cruz RS, Caputo F. Interval training in the boundaries of severe domain: effects on aerobic parameters. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Jan;116(1):161-9. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3263-0. Epub 2015 Sep 15.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 15, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): December 15, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 14, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): February 24, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 14, 2023
• Last Verified: February 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Training; Exercise; Performance; VO2max; Aerobic
• Other Study ID Numbers: VO2maxtrainingUDESantaCatarina

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: The data will be presented as a group (training protocol), but data from representative subjects may be presented if they add relevant information.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No