Responders and non‐responders to aerobic exercise training: beyond the evaluation of

FIGURE 1. Overview of the experimental protocol design at pre‐training (PRE) and post‐training (POST). An overview of the exercise training prescription is displayed with the corresponding exercise times and intensities. Note: ECG, electrocardiogram; W, watts; NIRS, near‐infrared spectroscopy; HRmax, maximal heart rate; LTP1, lactate turning point 1; HIIT, high‐intensity interval training; MICT, moderate‐intensity continuous training

FIGURE 2. Overview of responders’ classification using the highest density interval (HDI) and region of practical equivalence (ROPE) method. The graph displays the ΔV˙O2max (delta of maximal oxygen uptake) of each participant. The black dots show the ΔV˙O2max, curves are the normal distribution curves derived for each individual given the measurement error around the ΔV˙O2max value. The horizontal black lines are the 89% HDI derived from each curve, and vertical dashed lines around zero are the calculated ROPE (i.e., −80 to 80 ml·min−1). Please, refer to Table 3 for an overview of the levels of significance from the ROPE + HDI decision‐making method applied to responders’ analysis

FIGURE 3. Within‐ and between groups differences between responders and non‐responders in the fitness‐related parameters. The within‐ and between‐subject comparisons are displayed as effect sizes (Cohen's d), 95% confidence intervals, and adjusted p‐values. The black dots display the individual values, which are connected from PRE to POST through continuous lines. Note: V˙O2max, maximal oxygen uptake; POpeak, peak power output; LTP1, lactate turning point 1; LTP2, lactate turning point 2; OUES, oxygen uptake efficiency slope; ΔV˙O2/ΔPO slope, slope of the oxygen uptake‐power output relationship during the incremental test to exhaustion; ΔHR/ΔV˙O2 slope, slope of the heart rate‐oxygen uptake relationship during the incremental test to exhaustion

FIGURE 4. Within‐ and between groups differences between responders and non‐responders in the vascular‐ and microvascular‐related parameters. The within‐ and between‐subject comparisons are displayed as effect sizes (Cohen's d), 95% confidence intervals, and adjusted p‐values. The black dots display the individual values, which are connected from PRE to POST through continuous lines. Note: StO2 slope 2, NIRS‐derived oxygen saturation slope 2; StO2 AUC, NIRS‐derived oxygen saturation area under the curve; ABI, ankle‐brachial index; baPWV, brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity; cfPWV, carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity

FIGURE 5. Overview of the effect sizes (Cohen's d) and 95% confidence intervals on each one of the examined variables. The first column shows within‐group effect sizes, the second column shows between‐groups effect sizes, the third column displays the percent changes from baseline in responders and non‐responders, and the fourth column displays the results from the interaction effects (responders’ classification x training phase) from the linear mixed effect model