Implementing High-Intensity Interval Training in Physical Education: Effects on Adolescents' Exercise Motivation
Question
Does implementing HIIT during physical education affect adolescents' exercise motivation compared with a traditional warm-up?
Summary
In male adolescents, adding a 10-minute Tabata-style HIIT warm-up to physical education twice weekly for 12 weeks improved some social motivation subscales, especially social recognition, compared with traditional moderate warm-up. Most motivation domains did not change.
Methodology
- Sixty healthy male adolescents in high school.
- 60 participants.
- Bodyweight and ball exercises.
- Work intervals: 20 seconds.
- Recovery: 10 seconds; 1 minute between sequences.
- Intensity: 80%-90% HRmax.
- About 10 minutes plus 5-minute warm-up.
- 2 sessions/week.
- 12 weeks.
- School-based randomized controlled trial
- Exercise motivation, and Anthropometrics were tracked.
Outcomes
Social recognition
Social recognition increased in HIIT and did not change in control.
Group x time p=.04, partial eta2=.079; HIIT p=.02.
Affiliation
Affiliation increased over time in the HIIT group but not control.
Time effect F(1,58)=6.39, p=.02; HIIT p=.02.
Competition
Competition motive increased in HIIT but not control.
Time effect F(1,58)=5.78, p=.02; HIIT p=.02.
Other motives
Other motivational factors, including enjoyment, did not significantly change.
Reported p>.05.
Insights
- A two-sequence Tabata block can fit into a PE warm-up without dropouts in this sample.
- Social/competitive motives may respond more than enjoyment.
Limitations
- Boys only.
- Self-report motivation outcomes.
- Comparator was traditional warm-up, not another structured engaging format.
- No broad changes across most motivation domains.
Safety
- No adverse events were explicitly reported; HR-based safety prompts were used.