PMID 39758185

Research
All papers

Effects of low-volume court-based sprint interval training on aerobic capacity and sport-specific endurance performance in competitive tennis players

Yang W, Yin L, Poon ET, Kit Ho IM, Liu H, Qi B, Li Q, Li Y

Question

Does low-volume court-based sprint interval training improve aerobic capacity and sport-specific endurance more than traditional endurance training in competitive tennis players?

Summary

In competitive male collegiate tennis players, 6 weeks of low-volume court-based sprint interval training improved aerobic capacity and tennis-specific endurance. Compared with 45 minutes of treadmill endurance training, the court-based sprint program used much less total training time and produced clearer gains in tennis-specific HIT&TURN and Yo-Yo IR2 performance.

Methodology

  • 16 competitive male collegiate tennis players.
  • 16 participants.
  • Multidirectional court sprinting.
  • Work intervals: 110 m sprint with forward/backward segments and changes of direction.
  • Recovery: 20 s between sprints; 5 min between sets.
  • Intensity: All-out.
  • About 20-21 min plus warm-up/cool-down.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 6 weeks.
  • Randomized controlled experimental trial
  • Aerobic capacity, Lactate elimination, Tennis endurance, and Intermittent running were tracked.

Outcomes

VO2max

Both SIT and ET improved VO2max.

SIT ES=0.64, p<0.01; ET ES=0.98, p<0.01; no significant group x time interaction.

Improved

HIT&TURN

SIT improved tennis-specific endurance more than ET.

Group x time p=0.01; SIT +22.7%, p=0.014, ES=1.83; ET +6.6%, p>0.05.

Improved

Yo-Yo IR2

SIT improved Yo-Yo IR2 distance; ET did not significantly change.

SIT +8.3%, p=0.02, ES=0.70; interaction p=0.17; MBD likely moderate SIT advantage ES=0.69.

Improved

BLA elimination

Blood lactate elimination improved significantly in SIT only.

SIT +13.1%, p=0.02, ES=1.03; ET not significant.

Improved

Insights

  • Sport-specific all-out sprint intervals may outperform continuous endurance training for sport-specific field tests.
  • Low-volume sprint work can coexist with regular technical-tactical training in trained athletes.
  • Advanced sprint HIIT needs movement preparation and supervision.

Limitations

  • Small sample.
  • Male athletes only.
  • No investigation of sprint-length or sprint-count moderation.
  • Diet and lifestyle factors were not explored.
  • No neuromuscular strength, power, or balance outcomes.

Safety

  • No missing sessions or injuries were reported during the intervention.
  • All sessions were supervised and HR monitored.