Table 2 The design of the studies included in this meta-analysis and characteristics of their participants
Reference (year) | Subjects /age (years) | Total number of sessions/duration/duration of one intervention session/duration of one control session | Intervals of exercise (number and duration) | Interval intensity | Duration of rest | Intensity of exercise during rest | VO2peak/max before the intervention (mL·kg−1 · min−1) | VO2peak/max after the intervention (mL·kg−1 · min−1) | Change in VO2max (%) | Findings concerning the HIIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Arcos et al. (2015)1 [27] | 15/16 | 12/6 weeks/ 25 min/25 min | HIIT | MAS ↔; CMJ ↔ | ||||||
3 × 4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 3 min | 50–60% HRmax | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
SSG | ||||||||||
3 × 4 min | n.i. | 3 min | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
Faude et al. (2014)2 [29] | 19/17 | 8/4 weeks/ 22 min/36 min | HIIT | IAT ↑; CMJ ↓ DJ ↔; Vpeak ↓ Lacmax ↔ 5-m, 10-m, 30-m sprint ↔; CinD ↔ | ||||||
2 × (12–15 × 15 s) | 40% above IAT | 10 min/15 s | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
SSG | ||||||||||
4 × 4 min | n.i. | 4 min (PR) | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
Faude et al. (2013)2 [4] | 20/16 | 12–15/5.5 weeks/ 33 min/47 min | HIIT | IAT ↑; CMJ ↓ DJ ↓; Vmax ↔ | ||||||
2 × (12–15 × 15–30 s) | 25–40% above IAT | 10 min (AR)/15–30 s | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
HVT | ||||||||||
30–60 min | 80–95% IAT | – | – | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
Sperlich et al. (2011)1 [10] | 19/13 | 13/5 weeks/ 28.8 min/57.3 min | HIIT | VO2max ↑; 1000-m run ↑; 20-m, 30-m, 40-m sprint ↑; DJ, SJ, CMJ ↔ | ||||||
4–15 × 30 s–4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 1–3 min | 50–60% HRmax | 55.1 ± 4.9 | 58.9 ± 4.7 | + 6.9 | ||||
HVT | ||||||||||
6–30 min | 50–70% HRmax | – | – | 55.3 ± 4.3 | 56.4 ± 3.7 | + 2.0 | ||||
Hill-Haas et al. (2009)1 [11] | 19/15 | 14/7 weeks/ 66 min/66 min | HIIT (intervals, RSA, COD, sprints) | VO2max ↔; YYIRTL1 ↑; MSFT ↔; TTE ↔; 5-m, 20-m sprint ↔; RSA ↔ | ||||||
– | – | – | n.i. | 60.2 ± 4.6 | 61.4 ± 3.5 | + 2.0 | ||||
SSG | ||||||||||
2–3 × 6–13 min | n.i. | 1–3 min | n.i. | 59.3 ± 4.5 | 58.9 ± 5.5 | − 0.7 | ||||
Impellizzeri et al. (2008)1 [12] | 21/18 | 11/4 weeks/ 25 min/25 min | HIIT | VO2max ↑; LSPT total performance ↔; LSPT total performance fatigued ↑ | ||||||
4 × 4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 3 min (AR) | n.i. | ~ 56.6 | ~ 58.9 | ~ + 4 | ||||
TT | ||||||||||
– | – | – | – | ~ 57.7 | ~ 57 | ~ − 1.2 | ||||
Impellizzeri et al. (2006)1 [28] | 29/17 | 16/8 weeks/ n.i./n.i. | HIIT | VO2max ↑; IAT ↑; RE at LT ↔; VO2 at LT ↑; % VO2max at LT ↑; Ekblom’s test ↑ | ||||||
4 × 4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 3 min | 60–70% HRmax | 59.7 ± 4.1 | 60.2 ± 3.9 | + 0.8 | ||||
SSG | ||||||||||
4 × 4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 3 min | 60–70% HRmax | 61.4 ± 4.6 | 61.8 ± 4.5 | + 0.7 | ||||
Siegler et al. (2003)1 [30] | 34/16 | 30/10 weeks/ n.i./n.i. | Functional HIIT (sprinting and jumping) | LIST ↑; 20-m sprint ↑; VJ ↔ | ||||||
3–5 × 4–6 reps. | 100% | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
VOT | ||||||||||
n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | n.i. | ||||
Helgerud et al. (2001)1 [13] | 19/18 | 18/8 weeks/ 28 min/30 min | HIIT | VO2max ↑; IAT ↑ ↔; VO2 at LT ↑; 10-m, 40-m sprint ↔; VJ ↔ | ||||||
4 × 4 min | 90–95% HRmax | 3 min | 50–60% HRmax | 58.1 ± 4.5 | 64.3 ± 3.9 | + 10.7 | ||||
TT | ||||||||||
– | – | – | – | 58.4 ± 4.3 | 59.5 ± 4.4 | + 1.9 | ||||