Affective and perceptual responses during reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT)

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) is a genuinely time-efficient exercise strategy for improving cardiometabolic health. Here, we examined the affective and perceptual responses to REHIT. Eight young men and women (age 21 ± 1 y, BMI 24.9 ± 2.1 m/kg², V̇O₂max 39 ± 10 ml/kg/min) and 11 men with type 2 diabetes (T2D; age 52 ± 6 y, BMI 29.7 ± 3.1 m/kg², V̇O₂max 29 ± 5 ml/kg/min) took part in three-arm crossover trials with RPE and affective valence measured during, and enjoyment and exercise preferences measured following either: 1) REHIT (2 × 20-s sprints in a 10-min exercise session), 2) HIIT (10 × 1-min efforts) and 3) 30 min MICT. Furthermore, 19 young men and women (age 25 ± 6 y, BMI 24 ± 4 m/kg², V̇O₂max 34 ± 8 ml/kg/min) completed a 6-week REHIT intervention with affective valence during an acute REHIT session measured before and after training. Affect decreases (briefly) during REHIT, but recovers rapidly, and the decline is not significantly different when compared to MICT or HIIT in either healthy participants or T2D patients. Young sedentary participants reported similar levels of enjoyment for REHIT, MICT and HIIT, but 7 out of 8 had a preference for REHIT. Conversely, T2D patients tended to report lower levels of enjoyment with REHIT compared with MICT. The decrease in affective valence observed during an acute REHIT session was significantly attenuated following training. We conclude that affective and perceptual responses to REHIT are no more negative compared to those associated with MICT or HIIT, refuting claims that supramaximal sprint interval training protocols are associated with inherent negative responses.

Keywords:

• Exercise. Interval Training. Affect. Perceived Exertion

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our participants for their time and effort in completing this study, and Lewis Darnborough, Gregor Barr, Patrick Muirhead and Paul Carson for assistance with data collection for study 1, Diane Fernie for her help with study 2, and James Bolam, Catherine Henderson, Ross McGinness, Greg Wallace, Joe Senior, Sean Ayoade and Chris May for assistance in training supervision for study 3. We would also like to extend a special thank you to our family and friends for their support during our academic endeavours.

RM, NV and PS conceived the study ideas, designed the studies, collected the data, and wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. BF, SF, NB, CM, GM and GD offered critical insight during the study design (study 2), supported data collection (study 2), and provided critique of the initial manuscript draft. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript. RM is the guarantor of this work.

Additional information

Funding

This writing of this manuscript was supported by The Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation (SCA/OF/12/15). PS was supported by a studentship from Thammasat University. GM was supported by a summer studentship from The Physiological Society. We would also like to acknowledge the financial support of Swansea University, Stirling University and Ulster University.