The influence of 2 weeks of low-volume high-intensity interval training on health outcomes in adolescent boys

Abstract

The present study aimed to establish whether 2 weeks of high-intensity interval training would have a beneficial effect on aerobic fitness, fat oxidation, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in healthy adolescent boys. Ten adolescent boys (15.1 ± 0.3 years, 1.3 ± 0.2 years post-estimated peak height velocity) completed six sessions of Wingate-style high-intensity interval training over a 2-week period. The first session consisted of four sprints with training progressed to seven sprints in the final session. High-intensity interval training had a beneficial effect on maximal O₂ uptake (mean change, ±90% confidence intervals: 0.19 L · min⁻¹, ±0.19, respectively), on the O₂ uptake at the gas exchange threshold (0.09 L · min⁻¹, ±0.13) and on the O₂ cost of sub-maximal exercise (–0.04 L · min⁻¹, ±0.04). A beneficial effect on the contribution of lipid (0.06 g · min⁻¹, ±0.06) and carbohydrate (–0.23 g · min⁻¹, ±0.14) oxidation was observed during sub-maximal exercise, but not for the maximal rate of fat oxidation (0.04 g · min⁻¹, ±0.08). Systolic blood pressure (1 mmHg, ±4) and BMI (0.1 kg · m², ±0.1) were not altered following training. These data demonstrate that meaningful changes in health outcomes are possible in healthy adolescent boys after just six sessions of high-intensity interval training over a 2-week period.

Keywords:

• trainability
• youth
• aerobic fitness
• lipid oxidation
• blood pressure
• BMI

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the staff and participants at Sidmouth Community College and the staff at Sidmouth Leisure Centre for their participation in this project.