# Effects of a paddling-based high-intensity interval training prescribed using anaerobic speed reserve on sprint kayak performance

PMID: 36685190
Journal: Frontiers in physiology
Published: 2022
Authors: Du G, Tao T

## Question

Does ASR-prescribed paddling HIIT improve sprint kayak performance and physiological adaptation more than MAS-prescribed HIIT or usual endurance paddling?

## Summary

In national-level male sprint kayakers, four weeks of kayak-ergometer HIIT improved aerobic and performance markers more consistently when intensity was prescribed from anaerobic speed reserve than when prescribed only from maximal aerobic speed. The protocol is highly sport-specific and athlete-focused.

## Population

- National-level male sprint kayak athletes.
- Sample size: 24
- Age: 26 +/- 6 years
- Sex: Male
- Fitness level: Highly trained national-level athletes
- Health status: Medication-free and medically screened

## Methodology

- Randomized controlled training study
- 4 weeks
- Kayak ergometer training and testing with concurrent sport training
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- ASR-prescribed kayak HIIT.
- Modality: Kayak ergometer paddling.
- Work intervals: 60 seconds.
- Recovery: 120 seconds, with 3 minutes between sets.
- Sets or repetitions: Two sets of 6-8 repetitions.
- Intensity: MAS plus 20% of anaerobic speed reserve.
- Session duration: Included 10-minute warm-up, HIIT work, and 5-minute cooldown.
- Frequency: 3 sessions per week.
- Program length: 4 weeks.
- Progression: 6, 7, 8, and 8 repetitions per set across weeks 1-4.
- MAS-prescribed HIIT and endurance control.
- Modality: Kayak ergometer HIIT or on-water endurance paddling.
- Work intervals: MAS-HIIT used 2-minute intervals; control used 60-minute endurance paddling.
- Recovery: MAS-HIIT used 1:1 recovery; control not interval-based.
- Sets or repetitions: MAS-HIIT progressed 6-8 bouts; control performed endurance sessions.
- Intensity: MAS-HIIT at 100% MAS; control at 70-80% HRmax.
- Session duration: MAS-HIIT included 10-minute warm-up and 5-minute cooldown; control sessions were 60 minutes.
- Frequency: MAS-HIIT 3 sessions per week; control 6 endurance sessions per week.
- Program length: 4 weeks.
- Progression: MAS-HIIT progressed 6, 7, 8, and 8 bouts across weeks.

## Outcomes

### VO2peak
Status: improved
ASR-HIIT increased VO2peak and produced greater change than control.

ASR-HIIT +6.9%, p=0.00001, d=0.8; ASR-HIIT vs control p=0.008.

### MAS
Status: improved
Maximal aerobic speed improved in both HIIT groups and more than control.

ASR-HIIT +7.2%, p=0.00001, d=1.1; ASR-HIIT vs control p=0.001.

### Wingate power
Status: improved
Peak and average power increased across repeated upper-body Wingate trials in both HIIT groups, not control.

Both HIIT groups improved PPO and APO across four trials; control did not.

### 500 m time
Status: improved
Only ASR-HIIT significantly improved 500 m kayak time-trial performance within group.

120.37 +/- 4.37 to 118.05 +/- 3.88 s, -1.92%, p=0.00004, d=0.56.

### 1000 m time
Status: improved
Only ASR-HIIT significantly improved 1000 m kayak time-trial performance within group.

244.62 +/- 6.78 to 241.08 +/- 6.95 s, -1.5%, p=0.00001, d=0.51.

### Response variability
Status: improved
ASR-HIIT produced lower coefficients of variation than MAS-HIIT for several physiological adaptations.

Examples: VO2peak CV 8.7% vs 48.2%; MAS CV 11.1% vs 33.3%.

## Practical Insights

- For trained paddlers, prescribing intensity from anaerobic speed reserve may individualize HIIT better than using maximal aerobic speed alone.
- The performance improvements are sport-specific and should not be generalized to general fitness users.
- The study supports individualizing interval intensity, but not necessarily this kayak-specific dose for HIITplay.

## Limitations

- Small sample of elite/national-level male athletes.
- Only men were recruited.
- Diet could not be strictly monitored.
- Findings apply to the specific HIIT regimens tested.
- Unknown whether different HIIT volumes would produce similar results.

## Safety And Adherence

- Participants were medically screened and medication-free.
- No adverse events were reported in the extracted text.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36685190/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.1077172) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9848400/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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