# Exergaming can be an innovative way of enjoyable high-intensity interval training

PMID: 29021913
Journal: BMJ open sport & exercise medicine
Published: 2017
Authors: Moholdt T, Weie S, Chorianopoulos K, Wang AI, Hagen K

## Question

Can a newly developed biking exergame elicit high-intensity exercise while remaining enjoyable compared with brisk walking?

## Summary

Eight young men played a multiplayer cycling exergame and walked briskly on three separate days in counterbalanced order. The game produced higher heart rate, energy expenditure, perceived exertion, enjoyment, and voluntary duration than walking, with participants spending meaningful time above 80% and 90% of estimated HRmax.

## Population

- Eight male university students familiar with computer games.
- Sample size: 8
- Age: 23.9 +/- 0.6 years
- Sex: Male only
- Fitness level: Recreational; 1.9 +/- 1.9 hours/week exercise
- Health status: Young adults with BMI 25.4 +/- 3.8 kg/m2

## Methodology

- Pilot randomized counterbalanced within-subject acute study
- One familiarization day and three experimental days
- Laboratory exergame condition and outdoor walking condition in Norway
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Pedal Tanks exergame.
- Modality: Stationary cycling game.
- Work intervals: Game rounds up to 2 minutes.
- Recovery: 15 seconds between games and 3 minutes between best-of-5 rounds.
- Sets or repetitions: Variable number of best-of-5 rounds.
- Intensity: Self-selected; average 73% HRmax, maximum 91% HRmax.
- Session duration: Minimum 15 minutes, self-selected up to 60 minutes; mean 44.3 minutes.
- Frequency: Three acute trials.
- Program length: Acute repeated-measures study.
- Progression: None.
- Outdoor walking.
- Modality: Group walking.
- Intensity: Self-selected moderately paced walking; average 57% HRmax.
- Session duration: Minimum 15 minutes, self-selected up to 60 minutes; mean 17.0 minutes.
- Frequency: Three acute trials.
- Program length: Acute repeated-measures study.

## Outcomes

### Heart rate
Status: improved
PLAY produced higher average and maximum HR than WALK.

Average HR p=0.01; max HR p<0.01.

### Red-zone time
Status: improved
PLAY included substantial time at 80-89% and >=90% HRmax; WALK did not.

Both zones p=0.01 for PLAY vs WALK.

### Enjoyment
Status: improved
PLAY was rated much more enjoyable than WALK.

VAS 8.7 +/- 0.1 vs 3.9 +/- 1.8, p=0.01.

### Duration
Status: improved
Participants voluntarily continued PLAY much longer than WALK.

44.3 +/- 0.7 vs 17.0 +/- 0.7 minutes, p=0.01.

## Practical Insights

- Game mechanics can make high exertion feel worth continuing.
- Self-selected gamified cycling can generate interval-like HR patterns.
- Novelty and participant game interest are major caveats.

## Limitations

- Only eight participants.
- Male university students familiar with gaming.
- Acute-only design.
- Prototype game not commercially available.
- Energy expenditure and HRmax were estimated.
- Walking comparator was not intensity-matched.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported in the viewed text.
- Estimated HRmax was used rather than directly measured HRmax.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29021913/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000258) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633750/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.