The effect of constant-intensity endurance training and high-intensity interval training on aerobic and anaerobic parameters in youth

Abstract

Introduction: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Constant-Intensity Endurance Training (CIET) improves peak oxygen uptake (V O2) similarly in adults; but in children this remains unclear, as does the interaction with maturity. Methods: Thirty-seven boys formed three groups: HIIT (football; n = 14; 14.3 ± 3.1 years), CIET (distance runners; n = 12; 13.1 ± 2.5 years) and a control (CON) group (n = 11; 13.7 ± 3.2 years). Peak V O2 and gas exchange threshold (GET) were determined from a ramp test with anaerobic performance quantified using a 30 m sprint pre-and-post a three-month training cycle. Maturation was assessed using maturity offset equations. Results: The HIIT groups peak V O2 was significantly higher than the CON group pre (peak V O2: 2.54±0.63 l•min -1 vs 2.03±0.53 l•min -1 , d = 0.88; GET: 1.41±0.26 l•min -1 vs 1.13±0.29 l•min -1 , d = 1.02) and post-training (peak V O2: 2.63±0.73 l•min -1 vs 2.08±0.64 l•min -1 , d = 0.80; GET: 1.32±0.33 l•min -1 vs 1.15±0.38 l•min -1 , d = 0.48). All groups showed a similar magnitude of change over the three-month training period (p>0.05). Conclusion:HIIT was not superior to CIET for improving aerobic or anaerobic parameters in adolescents. Secondly, pre-and post-pubertal participants demonstrated similar trainability, highlighting no maturity and training interaction.

Investigating the effect of sex, maturity, training status, and physical activity on performance and health-related parameters in children, adolescents, and adults

“…However, without the use of a control group it is unclear whether the increases from pre-pubertal to pubertal children is training or maturity related (Armstrong & Welsman, 2019b;Armstrong & Welsman, 2019d). Runacres, Mackintosh & McNarry (2019b) investigated the influence of a three-month training cycle on peak V ̇O2 in a group of male trained footballers and endurance runners, compared to a no-exercise control group. Pre-and post-intervention trained participants had a significantly higher peak V ̇O2 than their untrained counterparts, even after allometrically scaling for body mass (Runacres et al, 2019b), but there was no significant difference in the magnitude of change between maturity groups.…”

“…Nevertheless, akin to all cross-sectional and intervention study designs, Runacres et al (2019b) only offers a glimpse into the influence of maturity on responses to training stimuli, and thus greater insights may be gained from longitudinal studies assessing the same participants over successive years.…”

“…Indeed, the inclusion criteria for the control, or untrained, groups in training studies is that participants are not involved within formal exercise programs (Baquet, Berthonin, Gerbeaux, & Van Praagh, 2001;Milanović, Sporiš, & Weston, 2015;Runacres et al, 2019b), but that does not preclude them being physically active. Indeed, this could help explain, at least in part, the variance between different training studies and the different effects of maturity reported.…”

“…Moreover, a negative association may still exist between body mass and V ̇O2max following ratio scaling, with heavier, more mature individuals often unfairly penalised (Cunha et al, 2011;Nevill et al, 2006;Nevill et al, 1998), which may mask physiologically meaningful findings. Conversely, allometric scaling calculates a population-specific exponent, removing any association with body mass, and subsequently enabling inter-population comparisons (Cunha et al, 2011;Cunha et al, 2016;McNarry et al, 2014b;Nevill et al, 2006;Nevill et al, 1998;Runacres et al, 2019b). Allometrically scaled V ̇O2max was determined by log transforming body mass (kg) and peak V ̇O2 (ml⋅min -1 ).…”

“…Indeed, one area that has received renewed interest over the last decade is the concept of a maturational threshold which suggests that pubertal children may experience an accelerated adaptation to training stimuli relative to their pre-pubertal counterparts, mediated by increases in circulating androgenic hormones (Katch, 1983). The existence of a maturational threshold remains highly debated (Armstrong & Welsman, 2019a;Armstrong & Welsman, 2019b;Cunha et al, 2011;McNarry et al, 2014b;Runacres et al, 2019b), with suggestions that it may be dependent on the specific parameter in question (Van Praagh, 2000) or, possibly sex.…”