# Psychophysiological Responses of Exercise Distribution During High Intensity Interval Training Using Whole Body Exercise

PMID: 36072848
Journal: Frontiers in physiology
Published: 2022
Authors: Machado AF, Zovico PVC, Evangelista AL, Rica RL, Miranda JMQ, Alberton CL, Bullo V, Gobbo S, Bergamin M, Baker JS, Bocalini DS

## Question

Does the order of bodyweight exercises in an all-out HIIT bodywork session change physiological, performance, recovery, and affective responses?

## Summary

This acute crossover study tested three orders of the same bodyweight HIIT exercises in healthy male CrossFit practitioners. Heart rate, lactate, and perceived exertion were similar across exercise orders, but movement count, perceived recovery, and pleasure differed. Alternating jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, and squat jumps in protocol A produced more movements and better recovery/affective responses than orders that concentrated more fatiguing exercises early.

## Population

- Healthy male CrossFit practitioners.
- Sample size: 20
- Age: 26 +/- 5 years
- Sex: Men only
- Fitness level: Active CrossFit practitioners for at least 2 years.
- Health status: Healthy; screened for diabetes, smoking, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular exclusions.

## Methodology

- Randomized crossover acute exercise study.
- Three acute 20-min HIIT sessions
- Research exercise sessions in healthy adult men.
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Protocol A HIIT bodywork.
- Modality: Bodyweight exercises.
- Work intervals: 30 s.
- Recovery: 30 s passive recovery.
- Sets or repetitions: 20 sets; jumping jack, burpee, mountain climber, squat jump repeated 5 times.
- Intensity: All-out effort.
- Session duration: 20 min.
- Frequency: Acute.
- Program length: Single session.
- Alternative bodyweight exercise orders.
- Modality: Bodyweight exercises.
- Work intervals: 30 s.
- Recovery: 30 s passive recovery.
- Sets or repetitions: 20 sets with same four exercises in different orders.
- Intensity: All-out effort.
- Session duration: 20 min.
- Frequency: Acute.
- Program length: Single sessions.

## Outcomes

### Movement count
Status: mixed
Protocol A produced more movements than B and C.

A 712 +/- 59; B 524 +/- 49; C 452 +/- 65; p<0.001.

### Physiological intensity
Status: no clear change
Heart rate, lactate, and RPE did not differ between exercise orders.

RPE AUC p=0.9926.

### Perceived recovery
Status: mixed
Perceived recovery differed substantially by order, highest in protocol A and lowest in C.

AUC A 64 +/- 19; B 52 +/- 11; C 17 +/- 13; p<0.001.

### Affect
Status: mixed
Protocols B and C induced displeasure compared with A.

## Practical Insights

- Exercise order can change how hard a bodyweight HIIT session feels even when HR and lactate are similar.
- Alternate demanding and less demanding movements to preserve recovery and affect.
- Burpees and squat jumps clustered early may reduce recovery and pleasure.

## Limitations

- Healthy trained male sample only
- Acute-only study
- No maximal test to confirm HR kinetics
- Results cannot be generalized to other HIIT formats or clinical populations
- Possible conflict of interest

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported, but participants were trained healthy men.
- All-out bodyweight HIIT may not generalize to untrained users.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36072848/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.912890) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9441899/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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