Comparison of perceptual responses between different upper-body sprint interval exercise protocols

Affective and Enjoyment Responses to Sprint Interval Training in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sprint interval training (SIT) is characterized by intensity of “all-out” effort and superior time-efficiency compared to traditional moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and has been proposed as one viable solution to address the commonly reported barrier of lack of time for physical activity. While substantial physiological benefits of participation in SIT have been well-documented, the psychological responses to SIT are less clear. No systematic review has been conducted thus far to respond to the assumption that its supramaximal intensity will induce adverse feelings. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to synthesize studies analyzing affective and enjoyment responses to SIT and to compare the responses to SIT with MICT and other high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols with lower intensities. After searching relevant databases up until 22nd March 2021, twenty-five studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the present review. Random effect meta-analysis using the pooled data demonstrated that SIT induced similar post-exercise affective valences during the training compared to MICT and HIIT, but lower affective valences immediately post-exercise compared to MICT. Moreover, affective responses during SIT decreased to negative valences according to the results from most included studies, while low-volume SIT protocols with shorter sprint duration and repetitions induced more positive affective responses. Level of enjoyment after SIT were positive and were comparable to MICT or HIIT. Overall, the results from the existing literature indicate that SIT might cause unpleasant feelings during the training and be perceived less pleasurable than MICT immediately post training but could be a comparably enjoyable modality for healthy individuals in relation to MICT or HIIT, despite its supramaximal intensity. Low-volume SIT may be a realistic option for individuals seeking a time-efficient workout with comparable affective responses to MICT or HIIT.

Affecting Effects on Affect: The Impact of Protocol Permutations on Affective Responses to Sprint Interval Exercise; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Pooled Individual Participant Data

Responses to sprint interval exercise (SIE) are hypothesized to be perceived as unpleasant, but SIE protocols are diverse, and moderating effects of various SIE protocol parameters on affective responses are unknown. We performed a systematic search to identify studies (up to 01/05/2021) measuring affective valence using the Feeling Scale during acute SIE in healthy adults. Thirteen studies involving 18 unique trials and 316 unique participant (142 women and 174 men) affective responses to SIE were eligible for inclusion. We received individual participant data for all participants from all studies. All available end-of-sprint affect scores from each trial were combined in a linear mixed model with sprint duration, mode, intensity, recovery duration, familiarization and baseline affect included as covariates. Affective valence decreased significantly and proportionally with each additional sprint repetition, but this effect was modified by sprint duration: affect decreased more during 30 s (0.84 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.74–0.93) and 15–20 s sprints (1.02 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.93–1.10) compared with 5–6 s sprints (0.20 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.18–0.22) (both p < 0.0001). Although the difference between 15–20 s and 30 s sprints was also significant (p = 0.02), the effect size was trivial (d = −0.12). We observed significant but trivial effects of mode, sprint intensity and pre-trial familiarization, whilst there was no significant effect of recovery duration. We conclude that affective valence declines during SIE, but the magnitude of the decrease for an overall SIE session strongly depends on the number and duration of sprints. This information can be applied by researchers to design SIE protocols that are less likely to be perceived as unpleasant in studies of real-world effectiveness.

Affective and Enjoyment Responses to Sprint Interval Exercise at Different Hypoxia Levels

Benefits of performing sprint interval training (SIT) under hypoxic conditions on improving cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition have been well-documented, yet data is still lacking regarding affective responses to SIT under hypoxia. This study aimed to compare affective responses to SIT exercise under different oxygen conditions. Nineteen active males participated in three sessions of acute SIT exercise (20 repetitions of 6 s of all-out cycling bouts interspersed with 15 s of passive recovery) under conditions of normobaric normoxia (SL: PIO₂ 150 mmHg, FIO₂ 0.209), moderate hypoxia (MH: PIO₂ 117 mmHg, FIO₂ 0.154, simulating an altitude corresponding to 2500 m), and severe hypoxia (SH: PIO₂ 87 mmHg, FIO₂ 0.112, simulating an altitude of 5000 m) in a randomized order. Perceived exertions (RPE), affect, activation, and enjoyment responses were recorded before and immediately after each SIT session. There were no significant differences across the three conditions in RPE or the measurements of affective responses, despite a statistically lower SpO₂ (%) in severe hypoxia. Participants maintained a positive affect valence and reported increased activation in all the three SIT conditions. Additionally, participants experienced a medium level of enjoyment after exercise as indicated by the exercise enjoyment scale (EES) and physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES). These results indicated that performing short duration SIT exercise under severe hypoxia could be perceived as pleasurable and enjoyable as performing it under normoxia in active male population.

Cardiac autonomic and blood pressure responses to an acute session of battling ropes exercise

BACKGROUND

Battling rope (BTR) exercise has become incredibly popular among not only fitness enthusiasts and athletes but in the general exercising population. Despite its popularity, research regarding the acute cardiovascular responses to BTR exercise is limited. This investigation evaluated the effects of acute BTR exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) responses in young men with elevated BP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eleven young men with elevated BP completed either a BTR or a non-exercise control trial in randomized order. The BTR trial consisted of 10 rounds of BTR exercise. Each round included 30 s of exercise followed by 30 s of rest. HRV and BP were evaluated at baseline and 3, 10, and 30 min following each trial.

RESULTS

There were significant elevations (p ˂0.01) in heart rate, markers of sympathetic activity (nLF), and sympathovagal balance (LnLF/LnHF, nLF/nHF) for 30 min following the BTR trial, whereas no changes from baseline were detected after control. Additionally, there were significant reductions (p ˂0.01) in markers of vagal tone (RMSSD, LnHF and nHF) and LnLF (both sympathetic and vagal modulations) for 30 min; as well as (p ˂0.01) systolic BP and diastolic BP at 10 and 30 min after the BTR, but not the control trial.

CONCLUSION

Current findings revealed that BTR exercise elevates sympathovagal balance for 30 min post-intervention, which is concurrent with an impressive hypotensive effect. Further investigations are warranted to assess the potential clinical application of BTR exercise not only in cohorts needing BP control but also in populations with limited locomotion that might benefit from post-exercise hypotension.