Acute Cardiometabolic Responses to a Novel Training Rope Protocol in Children

Cardiometabolic and Perceptual Responses to Body-Weight Resistance High-Intensity Interval Exercise in Boys

The majority of studies examining children's responses to high-intensity interval exercise primarily utilized running; however, this modality does not require/include other important aspects of physical activity including muscular fitness.

PURPOSE

To compare acute responses between a body weight resistance exercise circuit (CIRC) and treadmill-based (TM) high-intensity interval exercise.

METHOD

A total of 17 boys (age = 9.7 [1.3] y) completed a graded exercise test to determine peak heart rate, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and maximal aerobic speed. Sessions were randomized and counterbalanced. CIRC required 2 sets of 30-second maximal repetitions of 4 exercises. TM included eight 30-second bouts of running at 100% maximal aerobic speed. Both included 30-second active recovery between bouts. Blood lactate concentration was measured preexercise and postexercise. Rating of perceived exertion, affective valence, and enjoyment were recorded preexercise, after intervals 3 and 6, and postexercise.

RESULTS

Participants attained 88% (5%) peak heart rate and 74% (9%) VO2peak for CIRC and 89% (4%) peak heart rate and 81% (6%) VO2peak for TM, with a significant difference in percentage of VO2peak (P = .003) between protocols. Postexercise blood lactate concentration was higher following CIRC (5.0 [0.7] mM) versus TM (2.0 [0.3] mM) (P < .001). Rating of perceived exertion, affective valence, and enjoyment responses did not differ between protocols (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

HR responses were near maximal during CIRC, supporting that this body-weight circuit is representative of high-intensity interval exercise.

Acute Cardiometabolic Responses to Multi-Modal Integrative Neuromuscular Training in Children

Integrative neuromuscular training (INT) has emerged as an effective strategy for improving health- and skill-related components of physical fitness, yet few studies have explored the cardiometabolic demands of this type of training in children. The aim of this study was to examine the acute cardiometabolic responses to a multi-modal INT protocol and to compare these responses to a bout of moderate-intensity treadmill (TM) walking in children. Participants (n = 14, age 10.7 ± 1.1 years) were tested for peak oxygen uptake (VO₂) and peak heart rate (HR) on a maximal TM test and subsequently participated in two experimental conditions on nonconsecutive days: a 12-min INT protocol of six different exercises performed twice for 30 s with a 30 s rest interval between sets and exercises and a 12-min TM protocol of walking at 50% VO₂peak. Throughout the INT protocol mean VO₂ and HR increased significantly from 14.9 ± 3.6 mL∙kg^-1∙min^-1 (28.2% VO₂ peak) to 34.0 ± 6.4 mL∙kg^-1∙min^-1 (64.3% VO₂ peak) and from 121.1 ± 9.0 bpm (61.0% HR peak) to 183.5 ± 7.9 bpm (92.4% HR peak), respectively. While mean VO₂ for the entire protocol did not differ between INT and TM, mean VO₂ and HR during selected INT exercises and mean HR for the entire INT protocol were significantly higher than TM (all Ps ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that INT can pose a moderate to vigorous cardiometabolic stimulus in children and selected INT exercises can be equal to or more metabolically challenging than TM walking.

Metabolic Responses to a Battling Rope Protocol Performed in the Seated or Stance Positions

Brewer, W, Kovacs, R, Hogan, K, Felder, D, and Mitchell, H. Metabolic responses to a battling rope protocol performed in the seated or stance positions. J Strength Cond Res 32(12): 3319-3325, 2018-The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of oxygen consumption and heart rate responses elicited by a treadmill or cycle V[Combining Dot Above]O2max test with a standing or sitting battling rope protocol (BRP) (treadmill vs. standing BRP) (cycle vs. seated BRP). Forty healthy subjects performed either a ramped V[Combining Dot Above]O2max treadmill or cycle test. At least 3 days later, the subjects who performed the ramped treadmill test did the standing BRP, and the subjects who performed the ramped cycle test did the sitting BRP. Each BRP consisted of 10 sets of 15/45 seconds of work/rest for 10 sets. V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak and HRpeak were recorded. Metabolic responses were significantly lower for the sitting BRP and standing as compared to the HRmax and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max values derived from the bicycle and treadmill tests. The BRP produced a V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak that was 71.87% (sitting) and 68.37% (standing) of the subjects' V[Combining Dot Above]O2max assessed u the bicycle and treadmill protocol. Moderate correlations were found between the V[Combining Dot Above]O2 during the seated (r = 0.61; p = 0.003) and standing (r = 0.43; p = 0.03) BRP and the bicycle and treadmill V[Combining Dot Above]O2max tests, respectively. The HRpeak elicited by the BRP performed in sitting (r = 0.52; p = 0.009) and standing (r = 0.67; p = 0.001) had a moderate correlation with the HRmax derived from the bicycle and treadmill tests. Battling ropes may be a low cost, accessible option to improve cardiovascular endurance for individuals who cannot stand or move their lower extremities in a rhythmic manner to conduct aerobic exercise.