PMID 39051273

Research
All papers

The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cognitive and Physical Skills in Basketball and Soccer Players

Shiraz S, Salimei C, Aracri M, Di Lorenzo C, Farsetti P, Parisi A, Iellamo F, Caminiti G, Perrone MA

Question

Does a short Wingate cycling HIIT program improve selected cognitive and physical skills in basketball and soccer players?

Summary

Twenty young male basketball and soccer players completed 3 weeks of supervised Wingate-style cycling HIIT. Several cognitive and sport-skill tests improved after training, but the study had no control group, was short, and involved only trained male athletes.

Methodology

  • Young male basketball and soccer players with at least 5 years of experience
  • 20 participants.
  • Cycle ergometer.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds maximal.
  • Recovery: 75 seconds active recovery at 50 W.
  • Intensity: 7.5 g/kg body weight resistance; maximal effort.
  • At least 3-minute warm-up and cooldown plus intervals.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 3 weeks.
  • Single-group pre-post intervention study
  • Cognitive performance, and Sport skill performance were tracked.

Outcomes

Cognition

Cognitive test performance improved across all players, with sport-specific significant changes.

Basketball MOT p=.003 and working memory p=.002; soccer perceptual load and attention window significant.

Improved

Soccer skills

Soccer players improved sprint, change-of-direction, and dribbling times.

20-m sprint 3.91 +/- 0.17 to 3.66 +/- 0.35 s; COD 18.51 +/- 0.59 to 17.18 +/- 0.66 s; dribbling 21.40 +/- 0.76 to 19.91 +/- 0.74 s.

Improved

Basketball skills

Basketball players improved sprint and reported change-of-direction and dribbling times.

20-m sprint 4.05 +/- 0.23 to 3.80 +/- 0.16 s; COD and dribbling mean differences were 1.75 s and 1.41 s.

Improved

Insights

  • A simple interval-count progression can increase dose across a short HIIT block.
  • Cognitive benefits should be worded cautiously because the design had no control group.
  • The exact Wingate prescription is not suitable as a default app protocol for lay users.

Limitations

  • Small sample.
  • No control group.
  • Short 3-week intervention.
  • Only young male basketball and soccer athletes.
  • Single HIIT procedure and limited game-like testing.

Safety

  • Adverse events were not reported.
  • Participants with medical conditions were excluded.