# Physiological, perceptual and neuromuscular responses of team sport athletes to short duration high intensity interval training using cycling PMID: 40355642 Journal: European journal of applied physiology Published: 2025 Oct Authors: Twist C, Conboy E, Davidson M, Price S, Highton J ## Question Do volume-matched 15-second and 30-second cycling HIIT intervals produce different physiological, perceptual, and neuromuscular responses in trained team-sport athletes? ## Summary In trained male team-sport athletes, an acute cycling HIIT session using 15-second work and 15-second recovery produced more oxygen uptake time near VO2max than a volume-matched 30-second protocol, while producing lower lactate, lower leg and breathlessness ratings, and a smaller post-session knee-extension MVC decrement. ## Population - Sixteen trained male team-sport players from soccer or rugby with regular team training and familiarity with cycle ergometry. - Sample size: 16 - Age: 20.9 +/- 0.9 years - Sex: Male - Fitness level: Trained team-sport athletes; VO2max 50.6 +/- 6.2 mL/kg/min - Health status: Healthy athletes; asked to avoid vigorous physical activity for 48 h and caffeine for 2 h before trials ## Methodology - Randomized crossover acute laboratory study - Two acute HIIT trials separated by 5-7 days - Exercise physiology laboratory with cycle ergometry, gas exchange, heart rate, lactate, RPE, and knee-extension MVC testing - Randomized and controlled study design. ## Protocol - 15 s cycling HIIT. - Modality: Cycle ergometer. - Work intervals: 15 s. - Recovery: 15 s passive recovery. - Sets or repetitions: Two 6-min sets separated by 5 min at 40% pVO2max. - Intensity: 120% pVO2max during work intervals. - Session duration: About 17 min including the inter-set recovery. - Frequency: Single acute trial. - Program length: Acute crossover condition. - Progression: No progression. - 30 s cycling HIIT. - Modality: Cycle ergometer. - Work intervals: 30 s. - Recovery: 30 s passive recovery. - Sets or repetitions: Two 6-min sets separated by 5 min at 40% pVO2max. - Intensity: 120% pVO2max during work intervals. - Session duration: About 17 min including the inter-set recovery. - Frequency: Single acute trial. - Program length: Acute crossover condition. - Progression: No progression. ## Outcomes ### Mean VO2 Status: improved The 15-second protocol elicited higher mean VO2 than the 30-second protocol. 40.8 +/- 6.8 vs 38.4 +/- 5.0 mL/kg/min; 80.7% vs 76.1% VO2max; p about 0.026-0.028 ### Time >90% VO2max Status: improved The 15-second protocol accumulated more time above 90% VO2max. 176 +/- 135 vs 102 +/- 106 s; p=0.0257 ### Lactate and RPE Status: improved The 15-second protocol produced lower lactate and lower leg-muscle and breathlessness RPE than the 30-second protocol. Blood lactate 8.4 +/- 3.2 vs 10.6 +/- 2.2 mmol/L, p=0.0257; dRPE-L and dRPE-B p=0.0495 ### MVC decrement Status: improved Knee-extension MVC fell after both protocols but the decline was smaller after 15-second intervals. -14.5% vs -20.9%; p=0.0495 ## Practical Insights - Shorter 15-second work bouts may let athletes spend more time near VO2max with less local metabolic and neuromuscular strain than 30-second bouts at the same supramaximal power. - The low total volume used here produced less than the commonly suggested 5-7 minutes above 90% VO2max, so it is not enough by itself to infer chronic adaptation. ## Limitations - Acute crossover study only; no training adaptation data. - Small sample of young trained male team-sport athletes. - Cycling may not generalize directly to running, bodyweight, or mixed-modality HIIT. - Large between-participant variability in high-intensity oxygen uptake time. ## Safety And Adherence - Adverse events were not reported. - Participants were screened by study procedures and instructed to avoid vigorous exercise before trials. ## Original Sources - [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40355642/) (pubmed) - [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-025-05803-4) (doi) - [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12479654/) (full text) ## Agent Guidance Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.