Physiological and Perceptual Responses During 4-Second Exercise

March 28, 2025 updated by: University of Texas at Austin

The Effects of The Exercise Intensity and Rest Duration on Physiological and Perceptual Responses During 4-Second Sprint Interval Exercise

The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute effects of different intensities (i.e., 50, 75, and 100% of maximal anaerobic power) of 4-s sprint interval exercise on physiological responses. Secondly, it will determine the relationship between intensity and recovery duration (i.e., 15, 30, or 45-s) that will stimulate the cardiovascular and metabolic systems.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background Short sprint interval training (sSIT) is typically performed at maximal intensity, generating power far above what is needed to reach peak oxygen consumption (VO₂peak). However, the physiological effects of submaximal sprint intensities and different recovery periods are not well understood.

Study Aim This study examined how power output and oxygen consumption (VO₂) respond to repeated 4-second sprints at 50%, 75%, and 100% of maximal power (Pmax) with rest periods of 15, 30, or 45 seconds.

Methods Eleven recreationally active participants completed nine trials, each consisting of thirty 4-second cycling sprints under different intensity and recovery conditions.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

11

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Austin, Texas, United States, 78712
        • Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, the University of Texas at Austin

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Young (18-30),
  • Healthy,
  • Recreationally active, but untrained (not meeting ACSM's recommendations of 150 min/week of moderate-vigorous aerobic exercise)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Smoking
  • Subjects who were exercising regularly (>75 min/week) were excluded.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: 50% Pmax and 15-s rest duration
Participants used 50% Pmax and 15-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Active Comparator: 50% Pmax and 30-s rest duration
Participants used 50% Pmax and 30-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Active Comparator: 50% Pmax and 45-s rest duration4
Participants used 50% Pmax and 45-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Active Comparator: 75% Pmax and 15-s rest duration
Participants used 75% Pmax and 15-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Active Comparator: 75% Pmax and 30-s rest duration
Participants used 75% Pmax and 30-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Active Comparator: 75% Pmax and 45-s rest duration
Participants used 75% Pmax and 45-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Experimental: All-out Pmax and 15-s rest duration
Participants used all-out Pmax and 15-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Experimental: all-out Pmax and 30-s rest duration
Participants used all-out Pmax and 30-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.
Experimental: all-out Pmax and 45-s rest duration
Participants used all-out Pmax and 45-s rest duration during 30 bouts of 4-s sprint interval training.
Behavioral: Preventive
systematically investigate the acute physiological responses induced by three levels of %Pmax intensities (50% and 75% of Pmax and all-out efforts) with three varying rest periods (15, 30, and 45-s) between thirty 4-s sprints.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cardiovascular changes
Time Frame: From enrollment (Day 1) to the end of treatment (9 trials) (Day 11), through study completion, an average of 5 weeks.
The %VO2peak associated with repeated submaximal power sprints (%Pmax), particularly when paired with varying rest periods, remains unknown. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the cardiovascular changes for better exercise programming, measured in mL/min/kg.
From enrollment (Day 1) to the end of treatment (9 trials) (Day 11), through study completion, an average of 5 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Texas at Austin

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 4, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 2, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

October 2, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 24, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 28, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

April 6, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 6, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 28, 2025

Last Verified

March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STUDY00004240-CR01

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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