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Purpose: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may induce training-specific physiological adaptations such as improved respiratory and cardiovascular adjustments before and after the onset of high-intensity exercise, leading to improved exercise performance during high-intensity exercise. The present study investigated the effects of HIIT on time-dependent cardiorespiratory adjustment during maximal exercise and before and after initiation of high-intensity exercise, as well as on maximal exercise performance. Methods: 21 healthy male college students were randomly assigned to HIIT group (n = 11) or control group (n = 10). HIIT group performed training on a cycle ergometer once a week for 8 weeks. The training consisted of three bouts of exercise at 95% maximal work rate (WR max ) until exhaustion. Before and after the HIIT program, dynamic cardiorespiratory function was investigated by ramp and step exercise tests, and HIIT-induced cardiac morphological changes were assessed using echocardiography. Results: HIIT significantly improved not only maximal oxygen uptake and minute ventilation, but also maximal heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and time to exhaustion in both exercise tests ( p 0.05). Time-dependent increases in minute ventilation (V E ) and HR before and at the start of exercise were significantly enhanced after HIIT. During high-intensity exercise, there was a strong correlation between percent change (from before to after HIIT program) in time to exhaustion and percent change in HR max (r = 0.932, p 0.001). Furthermore, HIIT-induced cardiac morphological changes such as ventricular wall hypertrophy was observed ( p 0.001). Conclusion: We have demonstrated that HIIT at 95% WR max induces training-specific adaptations such as improved cardiorespiratory adjustments, not only during maximal exercise but also before and after the onset of high-intensity exercise, improvement of exercise performance mainly associated with circulatory systems.
Ito et al. (Mon,) studied this question.