High-intensity interval training for undergraduate students: Study protocols for randomized controlled trials

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the benefit of the HIIT training program for college students, as a strategy to improve the physical fitness of undergraduate students, physical activity levels, and motivation to exercise. This study was a randomized controlled trial design with two groups of third and fifth semester undergraduate students (19-21 years). The trial will involve 150 students from the Physical Education and Health study program, FKIP, Sriwijaya University. The HIIT training sessions will be applied in the first 10-15 minutes of each sessions, twice a week for 16 weeks, ranging from 14-20 all-out bout intervals, adopting 2:1 work-to-rest ratio. A cyt point of ≥ 90% of maximal heart rate will be the criterion for satisfactory compliance with highintensity training. The control group will continue with the programmed lecture as usual. The results of this study show that there was an increase on maximal oxygen capacity (VO2Max) in each group before and after the training treatment using the HIIT method, but there was a significant difference between the experimental and control group.