ECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP05
INTRODUCTION: Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) appears to be a valid tool for prescription of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It was recently suggested that RPE-based prescription might even provide higher cardiovascular stimulus when compared to velocity-based prescription. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate if RPE is superior prescription tool to maximal aerobic speed (MAS) for maximizing time spent ≥90% of maximal oxygen uptake (t≥90% VO2max) during HIIT. METHODS: Thirteen male physical education students (age: 23.6 ± 1.1 years, height: 180.2 ± 5.9, body mass: 78.3 ± 8.1 kg; % body fat: 14.3 ± 2.7%) volunteered to perform maximal incremental exercise test and two HIIT sessions. The HIIT sessions included three 3-minute intervals prescribed at either RPE 5 (HIITRPE) or 85% MAS (HIITMAS) interspersed with 2-minute passive rest. Borg’s category-ratio-10 (CR-10) scale was used for RPE-based HIIT prescription. Heart rate (HR), respiratory gas exchange parameters and running speeds were continuously monitored and recorded during testing and training sessions. Blood lactate concentration was assessed within the first minute after concluding the HIIT bout. RESULTS: Peak HR (187.9 ± 9 vs 183.7 ± 11 bpm, p=0.028), peak respiratory frequency (ƒR) (59.8 ± 6.4 vs 56.7 ± 5.5 bpm, p=0.046), blood lactate concentration (11.7 ± 2.3 vs 9.6 ± 2.8 mmol/L, p=0.049) and session RPE (6 ± 0.9 vs 5.1 ± 0.6 au, p=0.021) were all significantly lower during HIITRPE in comparison to HIITMAS. Peak and average speed, VO2, carbon dioxide output (VCO2), minute ventilation, tidal volume, and respiratory exchange ratio, average HR and average ƒR, and t≥90% VO2max/HRmax were not significantly different between sessions. CONCLUSION: RPE-based prescription enables accumulation of similar t≥90% VO2max/HRmax with lower peak cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and overall perceptual strain in comparison to MAS-based HIIT prescription. This prescription strategy can be used to alleviate physiological stress while still acquiring the same t≥90% VO2max/HRmax which is crucial stimulus for positive VO2max adaptation.
Read CV Daniel BokECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP05