HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING AS A TOOL TO CHANGE THE BODY COMPOSITION

HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING AS A TOOL TO CHANGE THE BODY COMPOSITION Pallicca P.1, Pallicca A.1, Fattorini L.2, Pittiglio G.1, Rodio A.1 1 Department of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Cassino, Via Sant’Angelo località Folcara,03043 Cassino (Fr), Italy 2 Department of Human Physiology, University of Rome“La Sapienza”, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy p.pallicca@unicas.it INTRODUCTION Motor activity, whether aerobic or anaerobic, is considered as an important factor to maintain and/or improve health in all ages of life. The aim of this research is to study the effects induced by a high intensity loaded training administered in a brief period of time (like an “all out” exercise) on upper limbs. An additional aim is to understand if the abovementioned training can be an effective tool to induce the same beneficial effects of an aerobic physical activity such as body composition changes and improvement of aerobic fitness, representing an alternative to the exercises actually suggested by the American College of Sport Medicine, that advices to perform a low intensity motor activity for 45 up to 60 minutes. METHODS The research was carried out on 7 male subjects in good health (age: 23±2 years; weight: 71±4 kg; maximal aerobic power (V’O2max): 3 l/min). Each subject has been subjected to anthropometric measurements, evaluation of fat mass through skinfold method and measurement of low and upper limbs’ circumference, evaluation of physiological profile through an incremental test to exhaustion by way of a crank ergometer. This test helped to evaluate maximal aerobic power and ventilatory threshold (TH) via metabolimeter. Moreover, through a correlation equation between the oxygen expenditure and the work intensity it was possible to determine the load relative at 150% of V’O2max which would be administered to the subjects during their training. All subjects have performed an exercise on the crank ergometer, consisting of 3 minutes warm-up followed by 5 high intensity repetitions at the 150% of V’O2max. Each repetition consisted of a maximal endurance exercise performed at the speed of 60rpm every 4 min (recovery = 4min minus exercise time). The overall duration of each single session was of 23 minutes. The training was performed 3 times a week for a total of 15 sessions training. After training program each subject was submitted to the evaluation tests mentioned above test. RESULTS V’O2max increased from 2,9±0,4 to 3,4±0,5 l/min; V’O2TH increased from 2,1±0,2 to 2,6±0,4 l/min. Moreover, body fat percentage reduced from 9,6±2,9 to 8,6±2,6 %, total work time and endurance time of the first repetition increased suggesting a body composition chancing. T-Test for pair data was carried and all data resulted statistically different (p<0.05). CONCLUSION From these results it is possible to deduce that a high intensity training improves whole body fat oxidation and capacity for skeletal muscle to oxidize fat, stimulating adaptations in skeletal muscle that improve performance and health. Our protocol can be used as tool to improve fitness with only ten minutes a day for three times a week, maximizing training adaptations in a short period of time. REFERENCES ACSM (1990) American College of Sports Medicine position stand. The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Apr;22(2):265-74. Talanian JL, Galloway SD, Heigenhauser GJ, Bonen A, Spriet LL (2007) Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women. J Appl Physiol 102: 1439–1447.