Effects of a HIIT functional training program on physical fitness in college students: an 8-week longitudinal study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54167/rmccf.v6i12.2101Keywords:
HIIT, Recreation, Sport, Functional training, University students, Physical fitnessAbstract
Background: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been recognized as an effective strategy to enhance physical fitness by combining short bouts of maximal effort with recovery intervals. In the university setting, where sedentary lifestyles are common, implementing HIIT-based programs may represent a feasible and time-efficient approach to improve overall fitness. Objective: To examine the effects of an eight-week functional HIIT program on physical fitness in university students. Methods: A longitudinal pre-post study without a control group was conducted. Twenty-one students initially enrolled, with seventeen completing the intervention. The program consisted of 16 sessions (two per week), each lasting 27 minutes, including 15 minutes of continuous running and 12 minutes of functional HIIT. Physical fitness variables were assessed before and after the intervention: agility, speed, upper-body strength, core strength, lower-body strength, and aerobic capacity (VO2max). Results: Significant improvements were observed in agility (p=0.022), upper-body strength (p=0.001), core strength (p=0.05), and lower-body strength (p=0.047). No significant changes were found in sprint speed (p=0.088) or estimated VO2max (p=0.477). Conclusion: The functional HIIT program effectively enhanced muscular strength and agility among university students over eight weeks but did not produce improvements in aerobic capacity. Increasing training volume and incorporating objective intensity monitoring are recommended for future interventions to optimize cardiorespiratory outcomes.
DOI: 0.54167/rmccf.v6i12.2101
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