Military Applicability of Interval Training for Health and Performance

Abstract

Militaries from around the globe have predominantly used endurance training as their primary mode of aerobic physical conditioning, with historical emphasis placed on the long distance run. In contrast to this traditional exercise approach to training, interval training is characterized by brief, intermittent bouts of intense exercise, separated by periods of lower intensity exercise or rest for recovery. Although hardly a novel concept, research over the past decade has shed new light on the potency of interval training to elicit physiological adaptations in a time-efficient manner. This work has largely focused on the benefits of low-volume interval training, which involves a relatively small total amount of exercise, as compared with the traditional high-volume approach to training historically favored by militaries. Studies that have directly compared interval and moderate-intensity continuous training have shown similar improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and the capacity for aerobic energy metabolism, despite large differences in total exercise and training time commitment. Interval training can also be applied in a calisthenics manner to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and strength, and this approach could easily be incorporated into a military conditioning environment. Although interval training can elicit physiological changes in men and women, the potential for sex-specific adaptations in the adaptive response to interval training warrants further investigation. Additional work is needed to clarify adaptations occurring over the longer term; however, interval training deserves consideration from a military applicability standpoint as a time-efficient training strategy to enhance soldier health and performance. There is value for military leaders in identifying strategies that reduce the time required for exercise, but nonetheless provide an effective training stimulus.

Positive, limited and negative responders: The variability in physical fitness adaptation to basic military training

“…19,20 Prolonged continuous exercise through load carriage or longer distance moderate-intensity running are common physical training methods used to develop cardiovascular endurance within the military. 9 Our investigation observed similar gains in aerobic fitness (∼9%) when compared to previous reports (6-10%) of recruit training. 4,5,21 However, within the upper quartile of fitness a 3% improvement in estimatedV O 2peak was observed.…”

“…Collectively, the evidence suggests, systematic exposure of recruits to higher relative intensity exercise may be efficacious in all recruits for the development of cardiorespiratory endurance. 9 Although the development of cardiorespiratory endurance has been a traditional focus of basic military training, 4,8 the most common physically demanding tasks within the Armed Forces of NATO nations are manual materials handling tasks that primarily require the development of muscular strength. 10 Thus, muscular strength should be considered an essential characteristic within basic military training.…”

“…1,8 These characteristics have been cited as contributing factors to the modest rates of physical adaptation observed. 4,7,9 Additionally, improvements recorded in physical performance during basic military training are not evenly distributed, with significant gains in cardiorespiratory endurance observed only in the least aerobically fit recruits. 7 The absence of positive adaptation in recruits with higher initial levels of cardiorespiratory endurance has been attributed to a lack of individualisation and insufficient exercise stimulus.…”

Optimising training adaptations and performance in military environment

“…Recent studies have suggested that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) will induce similar or superior training responses compared to moderateintensity endurance training with less time commitment. 15 HIIT refers to a training mode that involves repeated, relatively brief bouts at high intensity interspersed with lower intensity periods of recovery. 15,16 HIIT has been shown to induce greater neuromuscular adaptations than traditional endurance training.…”

“…15 HIIT refers to a training mode that involves repeated, relatively brief bouts at high intensity interspersed with lower intensity periods of recovery. 15,16 HIIT has been shown to induce greater neuromuscular adaptations than traditional endurance training. 17 Thus, a low volume of HIIT may elicit a higher neuromuscular training effect and thereby may better induce developments in strength performance as a part of combined training.…”