Graef, J. L., Kendall, K. L., Smith, A. E., Walter, A. A., Beck, T. W., Cramer, J. T., & Stout, J. R. (2008). The effects of acute high-intensity interval endurance training in men and women. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number, 1296.

This study examined the effects of nine sessions of high-intensity interval endurance training on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak), ventilatory threshold, and time to exhaustion among college-aged men and women. Healthy men (N = 31) and women (N = 27) were measured for VO2peak, ventilatory threshold, and time to exhaustion before and after completing nine sessions of high-intensity interval endurance training on a cycle ergometer over a three-week period. Each training session consisted of five bouts of a 2:1 cycling work to rest ratio. Sessions were performed in an undulating progression model, starting at 90% of the power output at VO2peak and eventually reaching 110%.

Significant time x gender interactions were observed for all variables. VO2peak and time to exhaustion increased after the nine training sessions for the men. The women also demonstrated increased in VO2peak, time to exhaustion, and ventilatory threshold. The delta scores for VO2peak were significantly greater for the women than the men.

Implication. Nine sessions of high-intensity interval endurance training caused increases in VO2peak and time to exhaustion for both the men and women, however, only the women experienced increases in ventilatory threshold. The increases in VO2peak were greater for the women. In this particular population, the changes due to high-intensity interval endurance training differed between the genders.

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