PMID 37372648

Research
All papers

Acute Cardiopulmonary Response of High-Intensity Interval Training with Elastic Resistance vs. High-Intensity Interval Training on a Treadmill in Healthy Adults

Neves LNS, Gasparini-Neto VH, Leite RD, Carletti L

Question

How do acute cardiopulmonary, lactate, and perceived-exertion responses differ between elastic-resistance HIIT and treadmill HIIT in healthy adults?

Summary

In healthy active adults, a single elastic-resistance HIIT session produced higher overall heart-rate, ventilation, oxygen uptake, lactate, and perceived-exertion responses than a treadmill HIIT session matched to about 85% VO2max. Elastic-resistance HIIT reached the target cardiopulmonary zone earlier and for more bouts, but the study measured only acute responses.

Methodology

  • Twenty-two healthy adults, 11 men and 11 women, mean age 27.6 years, BMI 18-25, physically independent and meeting at least 150 min/week of physical activity. Two additional recruits dropped out for personal reasons.
  • 22 participants.
  • Running forward and backward against elastic resistance.
  • Work intervals: 10 x 1 min work bouts.
  • Recovery: 1 min passive rest.
  • Intensity: About 85% VO2max from elastic-resistance cardiopulmonary test, cadence 200 bpm.
  • 3 min warm-up plus 20 min interval block.
  • Single acute session.
  • Acute crossover visit.
  • Randomized acute crossover study
  • Heart rate, VO2, Ventilation, and VCO2 and RER were tracked.

Outcomes

Cardiopulmonary load

Elastic-resistance HIIT showed higher overall peak and average HR, ventilation, VO2, VCO2, and perceived exertion than treadmill HIIT.

Improved

Target intensity

Elastic-resistance HIIT reached 80% VO2max by the second bout and maintained target intensity in 90% of bouts; treadmill HIIT reached it by the fourth bout and maintained it in 70% of bouts.

Improved

Bout peaks

When only exercise bouts were compared, peak values were not significantly different between modalities.

No clear change

Perceived exertion

Elastic-resistance HIIT produced higher Borg and OMNI perceived exertion and reached moderate-to-hard ratings earlier.

Safety concern

Insights

  • Elastic resistance can make short HIIT bouts reach high cardiopulmonary strain quickly.
  • The same 1 min work / 1 min rest timing can feel harder depending on modality.
  • Acute physiological intensity should not be mistaken for proven long-term training benefit.

Limitations

  • Acute single-session study only.
  • Healthy active young adults only.
  • No chronic training adaptations or adherence outcomes.
  • Sleep, caffeine, alcohol, and pre-test behavior were requested but not objectively verified.

Safety

  • No accidents occurred during elastic-resistance cardiopulmonary testing; no other adverse events were reported. Participants were screened for several health risks.