Effects of work-interval duration and sport specificity on blood lactate concentration, heart rate and perceptual responses during high intensity interval training.

Diego Warr-Di Piero,Carlos Pablos-Abella,José Vicente Sánchez-Alarcos Díaz-Pintado,Juan Carlos Redondo-Castán,Teresa Valverde-Esteve,Øyvind Sandbakk

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0200690

Diego Warr-Di Piero, Carlos Pablos-Abella + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200690

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the impacts on blood lactate concentration, measured heart rate and assessment of perceived exertion during split sessions of equal relative load, as also their relationship to the specific sport practised. Nineteen regional-level athletes (nine middle and long-distance runners (cyclic group) and ten field-sport team players (acyclic group)) performed four high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions with work-interval durations of 10 s, 50 s, 90 s and 130 s. The sessions were carried out at their usual training sites with a separation of at least 48 hours. Blood lactate concentration was measured at rest and 3 min after the completion of each protocol. Heart rate was measured continuously during all sessions with a sampling rate of 1 s, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was requested at the end of the trial. The results showed an increase in blood lactate concentration, peak heart rate and rating of perceived exertion during long protocols as compared with short ones. No differences were observed in dependent variables between cyclic and acyclic groups. Significant but moderate correlations were observed between post-exercise blood lactate concentration, peak heart rate and RPE.

Highlights

High -intensity interval training (HIIT) is defined as a method made up of repeated execution of bouts of exercise of an intensity equal to or above the lactate threshold, performed over shorter to longer periods intercalated with recovery phases that allow full or partial recovery [1,2,3]
The first aim of this study was to examine the influence of work-interval duration on blood lactate concentration, heart rate measured and rating of perceived exertion, during HIIT sessions of equal total volume and intensity
The data obtained in this study suggest that if all other training load components are kept constant, the duration of the work interval may produce different stresses even if individualized protocols are applied

Summary

Introduction

High -intensity interval training (HIIT) is defined as a method made up of repeated execution of bouts of exercise of an intensity equal to or above the lactate threshold, performed over shorter to longer periods intercalated with recovery phases that allow full or partial recovery [1,2,3]. The development of programmes that include HIIT, leads to significant increases in physiological variables when compared with continuous low-intensity activities [4, 5]. It has been reported that during intermittent runs a greater amount of time at VO2max is spent with lower blood lactate responses (though not significantly so), indicating a more efficient work-. Work interval duration effect on blood lactate concentration, heart rate and perceptual response cost rate in comparison with continuous running [6]. Further research [7] found that VO2peak and %VO2max were higher in the interval mode as compared with the continuous, but significantly higher post-exercise blood lactate was reported. An accurate determination of the impact of HIIT, as an external load, is a relevant factor in predicting different acute responses (internal load) and consequent functional adaptations in interval protocols [8,9,10]

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