# Effects of different high-intensity interval training modes of wattbike on anaerobic capacity in Chinese national alpine skiers

PMID: 41765942
Journal: Scientific Reports
Published: 2026-03-01
Authors: Zeng Y, Sun Y, Lin J, Yang Z, Zhou C, Li W

## Question

Do two Wattbike HIIT formats with different work-rest structures produce different anaerobic performance adaptations in elite alpine skiers?

## Summary

In Chinese national alpine skiers, four weeks of Wattbike HIIT improved repeated lateral jump performance in both formats. Short repeated sprint training better improved relative peak power, while longer speed-endurance maintenance intervals better reduced fatigue index.

## Population

- Chinese national-level alpine skiers who completed a 4-week Wattbike HIIT intervention.
- Sample size: 18
- Age: RST 19.0 +/- 1.9 years; SEMT 20.7 +/- 1.5 years
- Sex: 12 men and 6 women
- Fitness level: Elite national-team athletes
- Health status: Free of recent musculoskeletal injury or chronic disease

## Methodology

- Randomized controlled parallel-group training study
- 4 weeks
- Chinese national alpine ski team training environment with supervised Wattbike sessions
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Repeated sprint training.
- Modality: Wattbike cycling.
- Work intervals: 10 s all-out.
- Recovery: 5 s between reps; 180 s between sets.
- Sets or repetitions: 5 sets of 6 reps.
- Intensity: All-out, Wattbike air resistance level 10.
- Session duration: 10-min warm-up plus 2-min passive recovery plus intervals.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 4 weeks.
- Progression: No explicit progression.
- Speed-endurance maintenance training.
- Modality: Wattbike cycling.
- Work intervals: 60 s all-out.
- Recovery: 180 s.
- Sets or repetitions: 5 reps.
- Intensity: All-out, Wattbike air resistance level 10.
- Session duration: 10-min warm-up plus 2-min passive recovery plus intervals.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 4 weeks.
- Progression: No explicit progression.

## Outcomes

### Lateral jumps
Status: improved
Both groups improved 90-s lateral box jump performance.

RST +7.44 reps, p=0.004; SEMT +6.00 reps, p<0.001; between-group p=0.496.

### Peak power
Status: improved
Relative peak power improved in RST and between-group change favored RST.

RST +0.24 W/kg, p=0.003; SEMT p=0.972; between-group p=0.037.

### Fatigue index
Status: improved
SEMT reduced Wingate fatigue index while RST did not.

SEMT -2.88 percentage points, p=0.001; RST p=0.943; between-group p=0.020.

### Mean power
Status: mixed
Relative mean power improved in SEMT; RST showed a nonsignificant trend.

SEMT +0.21 W/kg, p=0.017; RST p=0.056; between-group p=0.138.

## Practical Insights

- Short all-out intervals may be better for peak-power emphasis.
- Longer all-out intervals may be better for fatigue-resistance emphasis.
- The authors recommend limiting these high-intensity sessions to one or two per week in ski periodization.

## Limitations

- Small sample
- Elite athlete-only population
- No non-HIIT control group
- Concurrent team training
- Few women and no sex-specific analysis
- Fixed performance test order

## Safety And Adherence

- No explicit adverse-event results were reported.
- Continuous heart-rate monitoring was used.
- Two screened athletes were excluded for insufficient compliance.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41765942/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41119-9) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13056962/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.