Int J Sports Med 2002; 23(6): 439-444
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-33742
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Effects of High Intensity Intermittent Training on Peak V˙O2 in Prepubertal Children

G.  Baquet1 , S.  Berthoin1 , G.  Dupont1 , N.  Blondel1, 2 , C.  Fabre1 , E.  van Praagh3
  • 1Laboratoire d’Etudes de la Motricité Humaine, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique, Université de Lille 2, France
  • 2Laboratoire d’Analyse Multidisciplinaire des Pratiques Sportives, UFR STAPS, Université de l’Artois, France
  • 3UFR STAPS, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 15, 2001

Publication Date:
05 September 2002 (online)

Abstract

This study was designed to examine peak V˙O2 responses of prepubescent children following a 7-week aerobic training. Twenty-three boys and thirty girls (9.7 ± 0.8 years) were divided into a high intensity experimental group (HIEG: 20 girls and 13 boys) and a control group (CG: 10 girls and 10 boys). A graded 20-m shuttle run with measurement of gas exchange values was performed prior to and after the 7-week training program. The test consisted of a 3-min run at 7 km × h-1 to determine energy cost of running, immediately followed by a 20-meter shuttle run test. HIEG had two 30 min-sessions of short intermittent aerobic training per week at velocities ranging from 100 up to 130 % of the maximal aerobic speed. For HIEG, absolute peak V˙O2 (9.1 %) and relative to body mass peak V˙O2 (8.2 %) increased significantly (p < 0.001); it was unchanged in the CG. Similarly, maximal shuttle run improved significantly in HIEG (5.1 %, p < 0.001). In contrast, there was no significant change for CG. For both groups energy cost of running remained unchanged. These findings show that prepubescent children could significantly increase their peak V˙O2 and maximal shuttle velocity with high intensity short intermittent aerobic exercises.

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S. Berthoin

Laboratoire d’Etudes de la Motricité Humaine · Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique · Université de Lille 2

9, rue de l’Université · 59790 Ronchin · France ·

Phone: 00 (33) 320887366

Email: berthoin@hp-sc.univ-lille2.fr

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