# Description of training loads using whole-body exercise during high-intensity interval training

PMID: 30379227
Journal: Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Published: 2018 Oct 29
Authors: Machado AF, Evangelista AL, Miranda JMQ, Teixeira CVS, Rica RL, Lopes CR, Figueira-Júnior A, Baker JS, Bocalini DS

## Question

How do external and internal training loads change across sets during a single whole-body HIIT session?

## Summary

In 20 healthy young men, one all-out whole-body bodyweight HIIT session using jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees, and squat jumps produced high lactate and heart-rate responses. Movement counts declined more for burpees and squat jumps, and no injuries were reported.

## Population

- Healthy physically independent adult men
- Sample size: 20
- Age: 24 +/- 3 years
- Sex: Male
- Fitness level: Healthy physically independent adults
- Health status: No diabetes, smoking, musculoskeletal complications, or cardiovascular alterations

## Methodology

- Acute single-group descriptive exercise study
- Single acute session
- Supervised exercise testing setting

## Protocol

- Whole-body bodyweight HIIT.
- Modality: Bodyweight calisthenics.
- Work intervals: 30 seconds all-out.
- Recovery: 30 seconds passive recovery.
- Sets or repetitions: 20 sets.
- Intensity: All-out; high lactate and RPE response.
- Session duration: About 25 minutes by methods, including 5-minute warm-up and 20-minute intervals.
- Frequency: Single session.
- Program length: Single session.
- Progression: None.

## Outcomes

### Movement output
Status: worse/safety concern
Movement counts declined across repeated sets, especially for burpees and squat jumps.

Significant differences in total movements, p<0.01; burpees and squat jumps diminished versus first series.

### Lactate
Status: worse/safety concern
Blood lactate rose sharply after the all-out session.

0.98 +/- 0.16 to 14.10 +/- 1.66 mmol/L; p<0.001.

### Perceived load
Status: mixed
Session RPE was high, while perceived recovery declined early in the workout.

RPE 9.5 +/- 0.85; perceived recovery lower from the second set, p<0.01.

### Injuries
Status: no clear change
No injuries were reported during or after the session.

## Practical Insights

- Rep counts can be used as a simple external-load signal in bodyweight HIIT.
- Burpees and squat jumps may need earlier scaling or more recovery than jumping jacks and mountain climbers.
- High RPE and lactate show that equipment-free HIIT can be very demanding.

## Limitations

- Small sample.
- Male-only healthy young adults.
- Acute single-session design.
- No control group.
- No long-term adaptation outcomes.
- Ambiguity between abstract and methods on total session duration.

## Safety And Adherence

- No injuries were reported during or after the session.
- Participants were medically screened before participation.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30379227/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2018/e516) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6201138/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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