title: High-intensity training versus traditional exercise interventions for promoting health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of brief intense interval training as exercise intervention for promoting health and to evaluate potential benefits about common interventions, that is, prolonged exercise and strength training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six untrained men were divided into groups that completed 12 wk of intense interval running (INT; total training time 40 min wk(-1)), prolonged running (approximately 150 min wk(-1)), and strength training (approximately 150 min wk(-1)) or continued their habitual lifestyle without participation in physical training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness was superior in the INT (14% +/- 2% increase in V˙O2max) compared with the other two exercise interventions (7% +/- 2% and 3% +/- 2% increases). The blood glucose concentration 2 h after oral ingestion of 75 g of glucose was lowered to a similar extent after training in the INT (from 6.1 +/- 0.6 to 5.1 +/- 0.4 mM, P < 0.05) and the prolonged running group (from 5.6 +/- 1.5 to 4.9 +/- 1.1 mM, P < 0.05). In contrast, INT was less efficient than prolonged running for lowering the subjects' resting HR, fat percentage, and reducing the ratio between total and HDL plasma cholesterol. Furthermore, total bone mass and lean body mass remained unchanged in the INT group, whereas both these parameters were increased by the strength-training intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  INT for 12 wk is an effective training stimulus for improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness and glucose tolerance, but in relation to the treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity, it is less effective than prolonged training. Furthermore and in contrast to strength training, 12 wk of INT had no impact on muscle mass or indices of skeletal health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nybo
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sundstrup
authors.forename: Markus D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Magni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hornstrup
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bülow
authors.forename: Morten B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Randers
authors.forename: Jens J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aagaard
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol