title: Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance.
abstract: Brief, intense exercise training may induce metabolic and performance adaptations comparable to traditional endurance training. However, no study has directly compared these diverse training strategies in a standardized manner. We therefore examined changes in exercise capacity and molecular and cellular adaptations in skeletal muscle after low volume sprint-interval training (SIT) and high volume endurance training (ET). Sixteen active men (21 +/- 1 years, ) were assigned to a SIT or ET group (n = 8 each) and performed six training sessions over 14 days. Each session consisted of either four to six repeats of 30 s 'all out' cycling at approximately 250% with 4 min recovery (SIT) or 90-120 min continuous cycling at approximately 65% (ET). Training time commitment over 2 weeks was approximately 2.5 h for SIT and approximately 10.5 h for ET, and total training volume was approximately 90% lower for SIT versus ET ( approximately 630 versus approximately 6500 kJ). Training decreased the time required to complete 50 and 750 kJ cycling time trials, with no difference between groups (main effects, P </= 0.05). Biopsy samples obtained before and after training revealed similar increases in muscle oxidative capacity, as reflected by the maximal activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and COX subunits II and IV protein content (main effects, P </= 0.05), but COX II and IV mRNAs were unchanged. Training-induced increases in muscle buffering capacity and glycogen content were also similar between groups (main effects, P </= 0.05). Given the large difference in training volume, these data demonstrate that SIT is a time-efficient strategy to induce rapid adaptations in skeletal muscle and exercise performance that are comparable to ET in young active men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology IWC AB122, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada. gibalam@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gibala
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Essen
authors.forename: Geoffrey P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wilkin
authors.forename: Kirsten A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Burgomaster
authors.forename: Adeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safdar
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raha
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tarnopolsky
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006003:Glycogen; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV