Abstract
This study examined the effects of circuit-like functional high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on body composition and motor performance of inmates in an open German prison. The group of inmates (n=11) consisted of predominantly overweight males [average body-mass-index (BMI)=31.2]. They performed 6weeks of training including 3 sessions per week. The 6-week training program was framed by a pre-test and a post-test that assessed anthropometry and motor performance. On average, the inmates participated in 91.9% of all training sessions. The intervention significantly lowered body mass (p=0.007) and BMI (p=0.006). Fat mass and fat-free mass did not change significantly from pre-test to post-test. The times in 20m sprint did not change. The performance in lateral jumping from side-to-side (p=0.024), standing long jump (p=0.001), and 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test (p<0.001) improved significantly. The greatest improvements were observed in the number of sit-ups (p<0.001) and push-ups (p<0.001). These findings suggest that (functional) HIIT is a practical and effective training method in the context of a prison.
Highlights
Prison populations are growing in many Western countries (Pérez-Moreno et al, 2007)
Following the presented findings of scientific research, our hypothesis was that the applied functional high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program improved body composition and motor performance of participants
Participants served their imprisonment in an open prison, which means that they were free to leave the penitentiary for work, school, or formation
Summary
Prison populations are growing in many Western countries (Pérez-Moreno et al, 2007). The overriding goal of prisons is resocialization and sport is considered to play a significant role in resocialization. The circuit-like functional high-intensity training of Sperlich et al (2017) increased the peak oxygen uptake, lowered body mass, decreased BMI, reduced fat mass, enhanced fat-free mass, and improved functional strength of overweight women. A mobile based CircuitHIIT performed once or twice per day by untrained individuals just improved the functional strength, whereas body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and peak oxygen uptake did not change (Sperlich et al, 2018). The authors explained this finding by the short duration of the sessions (6 min each) and the shortness of the intervention (4 weeks). Following the presented findings of scientific research, our hypothesis was that the applied functional HIIT program improved body composition (body mass, BMI, fat mass, and fat-free mass) and motor performance (muscular endurance and aerobic endurance) of participants
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