Effects of High-Intensity Circuit Training vs. Interval Training on Body Composition and Oxygen Consumption in College Students

Abstract

Objective: to identify the effects of High-Intensity Circuit Training versus Interval Training on body composition and oxygen consumption in overweight and obese young adults. Materials and Methods: quasi-experimental study. The population was made up of 106 university students, with a BMI Body Mass Index greater than 25 kg / m2. The members of the sample were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 students each: a control group (continuous training) and an experimental group (high-intensity functional training). Variables such as weight, height, body mass index, percentage of fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, and oxygen consumption were measured. Results: the control group showed a significant decrease in body weight and BMI after the 20 training sessions; the experimental group did not show significant modifications in this variable. In relation to the percentage of body fat tissue, a statistically significant decrease in the post-test measurements was evident in the individuals of both groups. The median and interquartile ranges show better results in VO2 of the experimental group and less variability with respect to the control group in the pretest and posttest. Conclusions: High-Intensity Intermittent Training significantly reduces the percentage of body fat and oxygen consumption in people with obesity, after 20 training sessions.