Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training in Elite Athletes
Author Information
Author(s): Wiesinger Hans-Peter, Hopkins Will G., Haller Nils, Blumkaitis Julia, Strepp Tilmann, Stöggl Thomas Leonhard
Primary Institution: Paris Lodron University Salzburg
Hypothesis
How do mean changes in various performance measures relate to high-intensity interval training in elite athletes?
Conclusion
High-intensity interval training significantly improves endurance and sprint performance in elite athletes, but the effectiveness varies based on the type of training.
Supporting Evidence
- HIIT caused substantial enhancements in time-trial, repeated-sprint, and sprint performance.
- HIIT improved various predictors of endurance performance, including V̇O2max and peak speed.
- Combining aerobic and anaerobic types of HIIT could be more effective for endurance performance.
Takeaway
This study shows that doing short bursts of intense exercise can help athletes run faster and perform better, but different types of training work better for different athletes.
Methodology
The study used meta-regression analyses to quantify relationships between performance measures and predictors based on data from 23 studies.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of studies with insufficient data on performance predictors.
Limitations
The study did not assess the effects of HIIT on competition performance and had a limited number of study estimates for some analyses.
Participant Demographics
Participants included highly trained endurance athletes and elite athletes from team sports.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
90%
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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