# Feasibility of Online High-Intensity Interval Training on Psychological Symptoms in Students in Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 35800026
Journal: Frontiers in psychiatry
Published: 2022
Authors: Philippot A, Moulin P, Charon MH, Balestra C, Dubois V, de Timary P, De Volder A, Bleyenheuft Y, Lambrechts K

## Question

Is an online bodyweight HIIT program feasible and potentially beneficial for psychological symptoms in higher-education students during lockdown?

## Summary

A 4-week online bodyweight HIIT program for students with mild anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 lockdown was feasible, with 87% adherence and no physical adverse events beyond stiffness. Stress improved more than in passive controls; anxiety did not significantly improve.

## Population

- Higher-education students with at least mild anxiety symptoms during lockdown
- Sample size: 28
- Age: HIIT 20.69 years; control 20.93 years
- Sex: HIIT 11 women/2 men; control 14 women/1 man
- Fitness level: Students; high-level athletes excluded
- Health status: GAD-7 >=5; medical conditions prohibiting high-intensity exercise excluded

## Methodology

- Randomized controlled feasibility trial
- 4 weeks
- Online home-based exercise videos
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Online bodyweight HIIT.
- Modality: Bodyweight exercises delivered by online video.
- Work intervals: 30 s high-intensity exercise.
- Recovery: 30 s active recovery/lower-intensity exercise.
- Sets or repetitions: 10 exercises repeated twice per 10 min session.
- Intensity: High intervals RPE >=6 on modified Borg 0-10, corresponding to at least 80% HRmax; recovery RPE <=4.
- Session duration: 10 min.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 4 weeks.
- Progression: Twelve structured videos sent weekly; no formal intensity progression reported.
- Passive control.
- Modality: Usual activities.
- Intensity: No prescribed exercise.
- Program length: 4 weeks.

## Outcomes

### Adherence
Status: improved
Adherence was high and dropout was modest for the online HIIT group.

Adherence 87%; dropout 13.33% (2 refused to continue)

### Stress
Status: improved
Stress improved more with online HIIT than passive control.

Group x change p = 0.046; HIIT decline 7.5 [5.3, 9.8] vs control 2.5 [-1.9, 6.9]

### Depression
Status: mixed
Depression showed a favorable trend but not a conventional significant group effect.

p = 0.080; HIIT -9.5 [5.4, 13.7] vs control -3.7 [-1, 8.4]

### Anxiety
Status: no clear change
Anxiety did not significantly differ between groups.

p = 0.118

### Safety
Status: no clear change
No adverse physical events were reported beyond stiffness.

No physical adverse events; one HIIT participant had anxiety +2 points

## Practical Insights

- A 10-minute, no-equipment online HIIT format can be feasible for students.
- Weekly reports gave the trainer adherence, RPE, recovery, movement, and safety feedback.
- Stress outcomes looked more responsive than anxiety in this small feasibility trial.

## Limitations

- Small feasibility sample
- Passive control did not match attention
- Physiotherapy students may have unusually high adherence
- No face-to-face supervision
- Short follow-up

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse physical events except stiffness; no psychological increase except one HIIT participant with a 2-point anxiety increase.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35800026/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.904283) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9253394/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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