Effects of high-intensity interval training versus sprint interval training during the second wave of COVID-19 lockdown on soccer players

• Thomakos Pierrosa ^[1] ; Konstantinos Spyroub ^[2]
  1. [1] National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

     National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

     Dimos Athens, Grecia

     
  2. [2] Universidad Catόlica de Murcia
• Localización: Apunts: Medicina de l'esport, ISSN 0213-3717, ISSN-e 1886-6581, Vol. 58, Nº 218, 2023
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This study aimed to compare the effects of two intervention programs (i.e., high-intensity interval training [HIIT] versus sprint interval training [SIT]) during the second wave of pandemic COVID-19 in semi-professional soccer players. Twenty-nine male soccer players were divided into two groups: HIIT (N: 16, age: 19.6§2.4 years, height: 1.8§0.5 m, weight:71.5§4.6 kg, and body fat: 7.3§ 2.6%), who performed a HIIT protocol with progressive intensity and resistance training; SIT (N: 13, age: 23.5 § 5.1 years, height: 1.8 § 0.1 m, weight: 74.0§ 4.5 kg and body fat: 8.8 § 2.6%) that performed a SIT program combined with body weight circuit training. According to the instructions from World Health Organization of basic protective measures against COVID-19, each session did not exceed 60 min. Aerobic capacity (YoYo IR1) and countermovement jump (CMJ) height were measured before and after a 4-week intervention period. Aerobic variables (maximum oxygen uptake [V̇O 2max], velocity at V ̇ O 2max [vV ̇O 2max] and CMJ significantly increased (p<0.001), while maximum heart rate [HRmax] decreased (p<0.01) following the HIIT intervention program. Conversely, values remained unchanged in the SIT group after the training. Post-evaluation between-group comparisons revealed that V ̇O 2max was significantly higher in HIIT when compared to SIT (p<0.05). These results suggest that HIIT combined with resistance training, in different sessions, could lead to superior improvements in endurance and vertical jump ability in short time periods when compared to the combination of SIT and body-weighted strength training in semi-professional soccer players.