High-intensity aerobic training during a 10 week one-hour physical education cycle: effects on physical fitness of adolescents aged 11 to 16

Int J Sports Med. 2001 May;22(4):295-300. doi: 10.1055/s-2001-14343.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a high-intensity aerobic training program on different components of physical fitness in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years. The subjects were divided into a high intensity (HI) group (243 girls and 260 boys) and a control (C) group (21 girls and 27 boys). HI and C completed a weekly 3 hour physical education (PE) session. Before and after a 10-week period, the two groups performed the European physical fitness test battery (EUROFIT). During these 10 weeks HI spent one hour out of three at a specific PE session. These specific sessions consisted of short intermittent exercises (10 seconds) at 100 to 120% of maximal aerobic speed. They showed a significant influence on standing broad jump (2.9 %, P<0.05, F=4.85), 20 meter shuttle run (3.8%, p0.001, F=23.21) and on the maximal distance covered over 7 min (7.6 %, P< 0.001, F= 14.48). For C there was no improvement in EUROFIT performances. It was concluded that training at high intensity improves not only children's aerobic fitness but also performance of standing broad jump. Well-monitored, adequate intensive training is necessary for a more desirable functional development.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Anthropometry
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Physical Education and Training / methods*
  • Physical Endurance / physiology*
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Time Factors