The effect of short-term sprint-interval training on repeated-sprint ability

• Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether short-term sprint-interval training (SIT) would enhance repeated-sprint ability (RSA) via improvements in power output, work decrement and oxygen uptake in recovery. Methods: Eight male, recreational team-sport players (mean±SD age: 21±2 y, body mass: 78.1±4.3 kg) completed a repeated-sprint test (RST) and a graded cycle test to exhaustion for the evaluation of VO2max before and after two weeks of SIT. The RST consisted of 7×5-s cycle sprints interspersed with 25 s of passive recovery. Peak power output (PP), mean power output (MP), decrement in MP (MPdec) and total work done (TWD) were recorded. In addition, VO2 was measured during the 25-s passive recovery periods between each sprint. The SIT involved six sessions (three sessions per week) of 4, 5 or 6 × 30-s, all-out sprints interspersed with 4.5 min of light recovery. The number of sprint repetitions increased by one after every two training sessions. Results and conclusion: Although there was no change in PP for any of the 7×5-s sprints following SIT (P > 0.05) there were significant increases in MP for each of the 7×5-s sprints (P < 0.05) and in TWD during the RST (mean±SD: 7.6±3.0 versus 29.4±2.6 kJ from pre- to post-training; P < 0.05). The MPdec decreased from 12.4 ±6.8 to 7.4±2.9% from pre- to post-training (P < 0.05) but VO2 between sprints was unchanged (P > 0.05). Furthermore, VO2max was not different following training (45.7±7.7 versus 45.0±5.4 mLkg-1 min-1 from pre- to post-training; P > 0.05). These findings suggest that short-term SIT may be an effective intervention for improving RSA within team-sport athletes via increases in work done during each sprint and reductions in the decrement in work done over a series of sprints. This does not appear to be due to greater oxygen uptake during the 25-s recovery periods between sprints or improvements in peak power. Other metabolic adaptations to SIT that maintain muscle force during high-intensity exercise may explain the current findings.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

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