Hill, M. R., Motl, R. W., & Johnson, S. C. (1998). Health maintenance test responses to five consecutive days of high intensity cycling. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 30(5), Supplement abstract 612.

The Health Maintenance Test (HMT - morning heart rates following 5-min rest, 30 deep knee bends, 60-sec recovery) was monitored during five consecutive days of high-intensity interval training. Male competitive cyclists (N = 5) were monitored for one week of baseline assessment, one of the experimental intervention, and a further week of recovery.

The HMT, resting and recovery heart rates, when compared to baseline, were significantly increased on days 1 and 5 of the interval-training week. Days 2, 3, and 4 were not different to baseline values. Heart rates did not change during the week of training. Creatine kinase was significantly higher on day 5 of interval training than on day 1 suggesting accumulated fatigue.

Implication. There is a suggestion that HMT might be a training state indicator but its variability in and out of significance as an intense week of training progressed warrants further assessment of its validity.

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