Cycle-based exergames deliver a moderate-intensity workload, but sprint interval exercise is a more effective training modality. This study aimed to examine the intensity of an in-house sprint-based game. Nine healthy participants completed an incremental time-to-exhaustion test to determine maximum heart rate and then played T-Wrecks for 13 min, including three maximal sprint efforts (boss battle). Heart rate was recorded throughout. Peak heart rate significantly increased between boss battles (Battle 1: 168 ± 13 bpm vs. Battle 2: 170 ± 15 bpm, p = .015; Battle 1: 168 ± 13 bpm vs. Battle 3: 175 ± 12 bpm, p < .001; and Battle 2: 170 ± 15 bpm vs. Battle 3: 175 ± 12 bpm, p < .001). A significantly greater percentage of game time was spent in moderate to vigorous and vigorous intensities compared with moderate intensity (moderate to vigorous, p = .018; vigorous, p = .002) and in vigorous intensity compared with maximal intensity (vigorous, p = .018). The extent of the game demand (TRIMP 46.8 ± 8.8 a.u.) was dependent on game mechanics and not the fitness status of the participant ( r = −.13; p = .747). This pilot study demonstrates that sprint-based cycle exergames can scale to fitness levels and effectively deliver sprint-based training, highlighting its potential to develop engaging, gamified exercise tools.
Brown et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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