# The Effect of Aerobic Fitness on Psychological, Attentional and Physiological Responses during a Tabata High-Intensity Interval Training Session in Healthy Young Women

PMID: 36673761
Journal: International journal of environmental research and public health
Published: 2023 Jan 5
Authors: Reppa CM, Bogdanis GC, Stavrou NAM, Psychountaki M

## Question

Do healthy young women with higher versus lower aerobic fitness differ in physiological, affective, and cognitive responses during a Tabata HIIT session?

## Summary

In 28 healthy young women split by aerobic fitness, a single 30-minute bodyweight Tabata workout produced high heart rates, high lactate, rising perceived exertion, and declining affect during exercise. Higher- and lower-fitness groups responded similarly on most physiological and affective measures, while the higher-fitness group had better concentration scores overall.

## Population

- Healthy young adult women split into higher- and lower-aerobic-fitness groups.
- Sample size: 28
- Age: 24.2 +/- 1.5 years
- Sex: Female only
- Fitness level: Higher fitness VO2max >32.8 mL/kg/min; lower fitness <31.87 mL/kg/min
- Health status: Healthy, normal average BMI

## Methodology

- Acute comparative exercise study using fitness-level groups
- Two lab visits 4-7 days apart; one acute Tabata session
- University laboratory/indoor exercise setting in Athens, Greece
- Controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Bodyweight Tabata.
- Modality: Bodyweight exercises.
- Work intervals: 20 seconds.
- Recovery: 10 seconds passive rest; 1 minute passive rest between rounds.
- Sets or repetitions: 6 rounds x 8 exercises.
- Intensity: High intensity; mean HR peaked at about 89.6% HRpeak.
- Session duration: 30 minutes main workout.
- Frequency: Single acute session.
- Program length: Single session.
- Progression: None.
- Fitness-level comparison.
- Modality: Same Tabata protocol.
- Work intervals: 20 seconds.
- Recovery: 10 seconds.
- Sets or repetitions: 6 rounds x 8 exercises.
- Intensity: Same prescribed tempo.
- Session duration: 30 minutes main workout.
- Frequency: Single acute session.
- Program length: Single session.

## Outcomes

### Heart rate
Status: mixed
Heart rate increased across rounds and did not differ significantly by fitness group.

Time p<0.001; no time x fitness interaction p=0.182.

### Lactate
Status: mixed
Lactate increased substantially over time with no significant group difference.

Time p<0.001; no interaction p=0.475.

### Affect
Status: worse/safety concern
Feeling Scale declined and fatigue increased as the workout progressed.

Feeling Scale time p=0.002; fatigue POMS time p<0.001.

### Concentration
Status: mixed
Higher-fitness women had better concentration scores overall, but exercise did not significantly change scores over time.

Fitness-level main effect p=0.050.

## Practical Insights

- A 30-minute bodyweight Tabata class can be genuinely high intensity.
- Affective decline during the session should be expected and managed.
- Fitness level alone may not predict who will feel better during a fixed Tabata session.

## Limitations

- Acute-only study.
- Small sample of healthy young women.
- VO2max estimated rather than directly measured.
- Non-random volunteer sample.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported in the viewed article text.
- The acute protocol caused high exertion and worsening affect during exercise.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36673761/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021005) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9859086/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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