EFFECT OF HIGH INTENSITY INTERMITTENT TRAINING ON ANAEROBIC POWER AND MUSCLE THICKNESS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high intensity intermittent training on the anaerobic power output and the muscle thickness of male varsity athlete. Five subjects participated in this study. The intermittent training consisted of 10 times repeated maximal pedaling exercises. The subjects performed ten 5 seconds bouts of maximal pedaling exercise at 0.07kp per body weight, with 20 seconds recovery intervals. The training period was 7weeks and each subject performed 2 or 3 days a week in high intensity intermittent cycling training. Two all-out cycle ergometer tests lasting 7 and 40 seconds were used to estimate anaerobic alactic power (AAP) and anaerobic lactic power (ALP) with pedaling exercises. AAP was computed as the highest power output during 7 seconds and ALP was obtained as the mean power output during 40 seconds. Furthermore, peak power and total work in intermittent pedaling test measured by ten 5 seconds bouts of full effort pedaling with 20 seconds rest. Muscle thickness was measured by B-mode ultrasonography at 11 sites on the body. There were significant difference between before and after intermittent training in AAP (867 ± 69 vs 900 ± 68 watts, p < 0.05). ALP did not change between before and after intermittent training. Muscle thickness were significantly larger than after intermittent training at sites on the pectoralis major, hamstrings and gastrocnemius ± 13.9 ± 2.5 vs 16.2 ± 6.2mm, p < 0.01, 53.7 ± 6.1 vs 57.4 ± 6.8mm, p < 0.01, 53.8 ± 1.3 vs 63.5 ± 3.9mm, p < 0.01, respectively. But biceps decreased after training (28.2 ± 2.9 vs 25.6 ± 3.2, p < 0.05). This is considered because it was training of lower extremity. Peak power in the intermittent pedaling test was increased after training. However, fatigue index was not significant difference before and after training. The high intensity intermittent training made male varsity athletes increase anaerobic alactic power and lower flexor muscle thickness. It was suggested that high intensity very short-term intermittent pedaling could improve anaerobic aloctic power output but not lactic power and muscle thickness of lower extensor. It is possible that hamstrings and gastrocnemius may serve as an important peak power output in repeated maximal pedaling exercise.