PMID 36969578

Research
All papers

Effects of running-based versus body-weight-based high-intensity interval training on physical fitness in healthy adolescents

Li Z, Liu Y, Han X, Zhou Z

Question

Does running-based HIIT or bodyweight-based HIIT better improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength/endurance, speed, and physical activity patterns in adolescents?

Summary

This school-based quasi-experimental study compared running HIIT, bodyweight HIIT, and regular PE in healthy Chinese seventh graders. Both HIIT formats improved cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, and speed, but bodyweight HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness more and uniquely improved sit-up endurance. Attendance was high, dropouts were rare, and no injuries were reported.

Methodology

  • Healthy seventh-grade adolescents from coeducational public middle schools.
  • 166 participants.
  • Bodyweight resistance/plyometric exercises.
  • Work intervals: 1 minute.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds.
  • Intensity: 75-85% HRmax monitored by heart-rate monitor.
  • 10-15 minutes including short warm-up, replacing PE warm-up.
  • 2 sessions/week.
  • 12 weeks.
  • Pre/post quasi-experimental school study with randomized natural classes assigned to R-HIIT, B-HIIT, or control.
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness, Muscle strength and endurance, Speed, and Physical activity patterns were tracked.

Outcomes

Cardiorespiratory fitness

Both R-HIIT and B-HIIT improved CRF, with B-HIIT significantly better than R-HIIT.

B-HIIT +4.48 mL/kg/min vs R-HIIT +3.34 mL/kg/min, p<0.05.

Improved

Muscle strength/endurance and speed

Both HIIT groups improved muscle strength and speed; only B-HIIT improved sit-up muscle endurance.

Sit-up endurance improved only in B-HIIT, partial eta squared=0.30, p<0.05.

Improved

Physical activity patterns

On school days, intervention groups had less sedentary/light activity and more moderate/vigorous activity than controls; weekend differences were not significant.

School-day group differences p<0.05; weekend p>0.05.

Improved

Safety/adherence

Attendance averaged above 90%, dropout was low, and no injuries were reported.

Dropout rate 1.81%.

Improved

Insights

  • Bodyweight HIIT is highly translatable because it requires little space and no specialized equipment.
  • A 1-minute work / 30-second rest structure can improve both aerobic and muscular fitness in adolescents.
  • Replacing a PE warm-up with HIIT improved outcomes without reducing school-day activity.

Limitations

  • Quasi-experimental class-level design without full individual randomization.
  • Healthy adolescents only; effects in adolescents with obesity are unclear.
  • Enjoyment and affective responses were not measured.
  • Some selection bias possible because students could refuse participation.
  • Accelerometer data were valid for a subsample only.

Safety

  • No injuries were reported during the 12-week intervention.
  • Participants with exercise contraindications or heart disease were excluded.