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Comparative Study
. 2006 Sep 15;575(Pt 3):901-11.
doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2006.112094. Epub 2006 Jul 6.

Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance

Martin J Gibala  1 , Jonathan P Little, Martin van Essen, Geoffrey P Wilkin, Kirsten A Burgomaster, Adeel Safdar, Sandeep Raha, Mark A Tarnopolsky
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance

Martin J Gibala et al. J Physiol. .

Abstract

Brief, intense exercise training may induce metabolic and performance adaptations comparable to traditional endurance training. However, no study has directly compared these diverse training strategies in a standardized manner. We therefore examined changes in exercise capacity and molecular and cellular adaptations in skeletal muscle after low volume sprint-interval training (SIT) and high volume endurance training (ET). Sixteen active men (21 +/- 1 years, ) were assigned to a SIT or ET group (n = 8 each) and performed six training sessions over 14 days. Each session consisted of either four to six repeats of 30 s 'all out' cycling at approximately 250% with 4 min recovery (SIT) or 90-120 min continuous cycling at approximately 65% (ET). Training time commitment over 2 weeks was approximately 2.5 h for SIT and approximately 10.5 h for ET, and total training volume was approximately 90% lower for SIT versus ET ( approximately 630 versus approximately 6500 kJ). Training decreased the time required to complete 50 and 750 kJ cycling time trials, with no difference between groups (main effects, P </= 0.05). Biopsy samples obtained before and after training revealed similar increases in muscle oxidative capacity, as reflected by the maximal activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and COX subunits II and IV protein content (main effects, P </= 0.05), but COX II and IV mRNAs were unchanged. Training-induced increases in muscle buffering capacity and glycogen content were also similar between groups (main effects, P </= 0.05). Given the large difference in training volume, these data demonstrate that SIT is a time-efficient strategy to induce rapid adaptations in skeletal muscle and exercise performance that are comparable to ET in young active men.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. 750 kJ cycling time trial performance before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT) or endurance training (ET) over 2 weeks
*P ≤ 0.05 versus pre-training (main effect for time). Lines denote individual data for 8 subjects in each group.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Maximal activity of COX measured in resting muscle biopsy samples obtained before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT) or endurance training (ET) over 2 weeks
*P ≤ 0.05 versus pre-training (main effect for time). Lines denote individual data for 8 subjects in each group.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Protein content of COX subunit II (middle panel) and IV (bottom panel) measured in resting muscle biopsy samples obtained before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT) or endurance training (ET) over 2 weeks
*P ≤ 0.05 versus pre-training (main effect for time). A representative Western blot (top panel) based on one subject from each group is also presented for each subunit. Lines denote individual data for 8 subjects in each group.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Skeletal muscle buffering capacity measured in resting muscle biopsy samples before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT) or endurance training (ET) over 2 weeks
*P ≤ 0.05 versus pre-training (main effect for time). Lines denote individual data for 8 subjects in each group.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Resting muscle glycogen content before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT) or endurance training (ET) over 2 weeks
*P ≤ 0.05 versus pre-training (main effect for time). Lines denote individual data for 7 subjects in SIT group and 8 subjects in ET group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • To perform your best: work hard not long.
    Baar K. Baar K. J Physiol. 2006 Sep 15;575(Pt 3):690. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2006.117317. Epub 2006 Jul 27. J Physiol. 2006. PMID: 16873398 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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