PMID 28824457

Research
All papers

High Intensity Interval Training Leads to Greater Improvements in Acute Heart Rate Recovery and Anaerobic Power as High Volume Low Intensity Training

Stöggl TL, Björklund G

Question

Do different endurance training concepts, especially HIIT and polarized training versus high-volume low-intensity training, change anaerobic power and acute heart-rate recovery in well-trained endurance athletes?

Summary

In well-trained endurance athletes, a 9-week program emphasizing blocked 4 x 4-minute HIIT improved maximal anaerobic test peak velocity/power and heart-rate recovery more than a high-volume low-intensity control program. Polarized training improved heart-rate recovery but did not clearly improve peak anaerobic test performance.

Methodology

  • Well-trained competitive endurance athletes from several endurance sports.
  • 36 participants.
  • Running or cycling.
  • Work intervals: 4 minutes.
  • Recovery: 3 minutes active recovery.
  • Intensity: 90-95% HRmax.
  • About 63 minutes including warm-up and cool-down.
  • Block periodized; 27 +/- 1 HIIT sessions over 9 weeks.
  • 9 weeks.
  • Controlled parallel-group training intervention
  • Peak velocity or power, Heart-rate recovery, Lactate thresholds, and Peak lactate were tracked.

Outcomes

Peak power

Only HIIT significantly improved MART/MACT peak velocity or power.

HIIT +6.4%, p<0.001; time x group p=0.001.

Improved

Heart-rate recovery

HIIT and polarized training improved HR recovery, while HVLIT did not.

HIIT +11.2%, p=0.002; POL +7.9%, p=0.023; time x group p=0.011.

Improved

Lactate thresholds

Velocity or power at 4, 6, and 10 mmol/L did not improve in any group.

All p>0.05.

No clear change

Peak lactate

Peak lactate increased only in the HIIT group.

HIIT +7.3%, p=0.001; time x group p=0.027.

Improved

Insights

  • 4 x 4-minute HIIT blocks may improve anaerobic capacity markers in trained athletes.
  • HR recovery may be useful for monitoring high-intensity adaptation.
  • HVLIT may not maintain or improve all high-intensity performance qualities.

Limitations

  • Mixed endurance sports and testing modes.
  • Small female representation.
  • No direct neuromuscular measures.
  • Competition-performance transfer was not tested.

Safety

  • No adverse events were specifically reported in the viewed text.
  • Some participants withdrew or were excluded due to illness or competition schedule changes.