PMID 41368005

Research
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Acute Physiological Responses to Rope Climbing Ergometer High-Intensity Interval Training in Males and Females

Eberhardt HK, Brisebois MF, Yeomans MA, Saracino PG

Question

What acute physiological responses and enjoyment does rope-climbing ergometer HIIT elicit in recreationally active males and females?

Summary

In 22 recreationally active adults, one 15-minute rope-climbing ergometer HIIT bout produced moderate-to-vigorous average heart-rate responses and vigorous peak heart-rate responses, high lactate, moderate perceived exertion, and high enjoyment. Men had greater VO2, energy expenditure, and lactate responses than women, while HR, RPE, and enjoyment did not differ by sex. This was an acute study, so it does not show long-term adaptations.

Methodology

  • 22 healthy recreationally active participants, 11 males and 11 females, with no prior rope-climbing ergometer use.
  • 22 participants.
  • Stationary rope-climbing ergometer.
  • Work intervals: 30 sec maximal effort rope climbing.
  • Recovery: 60 sec seated rest.
  • Intensity: Maximal effort; resistance one turn for females and 1.5 turns for males.
  • 15 min protocol after warm-up.
  • Acute single bout.
  • Acute single-arm laboratory exercise study with sex comparisons
  • Heart-rate response, Metabolic response, and Perceived exertion and enjoyment were tracked.

Outcomes

Heart-rate response

RC-HIIT produced moderate-to-vigorous average HR responses and vigorous peak HR responses, with no sex differences in HR.

Average HR 141 +/- 19 bpm, 74.0 +/- 10.4% APMHR; peak HR 172 +/- 17 bpm, 90.3 +/- 8.8% APMHR; sex p values 0.171 to 1.000

Improved

VO2, energy expenditure, and lactate

Metabolic responses increased substantially; males had greater average/peak VO2, energy expenditure, and lactate than females.

Average VO2 18.8 +/- 3.2 ml/kg/min; peak VO2 27.2 +/- 4.8; post-exercise lactate 9.8 +/- 3.1 vs resting 1.03 +/- 0.40 mmol, p<0.001; male-female p=0.024 for average VO2, p=0.026 for peak VO2, p=0.001 for lactate and exercise EE

Mixed

Perceived exertion and enjoyment

Participants reported moderate-hard exertion and high enjoyment, with no sex differences.

RPE 14 +/- 2; PACES 101.5 +/- 15.9, males 101.3 +/- 14.7 vs females 101.8 +/- 17.8

Improved

Recovery

Recovery energy expenditure was higher in males; more females returned to resting VO2 within 25 min, with a trend-level association.

Recovery EE 47 +/- 13 kcal; males 56 +/- 13 vs females 39 +/- 7, p<0.01; 3/10 males and 8/11 females returned to resting VO2, p=0.050 exploratory

Mixed

Insights

  • Rope-climbing ergometer HIIT appears enjoyable and can generate moderate-to-vigorous acute HR responses.
  • This is equipment-specific and cannot be generalized to bodyweight HIIT without a rope-climbing ergometer.
  • Because average HR was below vigorous threshold in some participants, individualized resistance may be needed.

Limitations

  • Acute study only; no longitudinal training outcomes.
  • Small recreationally active sample.
  • No comparator exercise condition.
  • Resistance settings were sex-specific but not individually optimized.
  • Used age-predicted maximal HR rather than measured maximal HR.

Safety

  • No adverse events were reported; participants were screened with PAR-Q and exclusion criteria.