October 4, 2006 – To get back in shape, intense short duration exercises are said to be as effective as longer training sessions. This is what the work of a team of Canadian researchers from McMaster University in Ontario reveals.
Indeed, their study1 shows that ten and a half hours of long-term exercise had no beneficial effects greater than two and a half hours of intensive training, at intervals.
In this study, 16 young men in their 20s were randomly divided into two equal groups. All participants completed six training sessions over a 14-day period. The first group rode a stationary bike at full speed for 30 seconds four to six times, followed by a four-minute break. Participants in the other group cycled at a slower pace for 90 to 120 consecutive minutes.
Using timed tests, the authors found that subjects improved their physical performance in a similar fashion. Analysis of the leg muscles also revealed that both types of exercise increased the tissue’s ability to use oxygen.
Intensive interval training may be an option for people who say they lack time for physical activity, researchers say. It is suitable for any active individual, regardless of their physical condition. However, it is not recommended for people with heart problems.
The authors of the study want a longer-term study to be conducted to better assess the physiological adaptation generated by intense short-duration exercise compared to endurance training.
Marie france Coutu-PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health.
1. Gibala JM, Little JP, et al. Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance, J Physiol, Sept. 15, 575.3 (2006) pp 901-911
