Physiological, perceptual and neuromuscular responses of team sport athletes to short duration high intensity interval training using cycling
Participants
n=16 male team sport players. Cycle ergometer at 120% of power at VO2max (pVO2max).
Protocol
Randomized crossover, two volume-matched sessions:
15 s HIIT: 2 × 6 min of 15 s work / 15 s passive recovery at 120% pVO2max
30 s HIIT: 2 × 6 min of 30 s work / 30 s passive recovery at 120% pVO2max
5 min between sets.
Key Results
| Metric | 15 s HIIT | 30 s HIIT | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute mean VO2 | higher | lower | p = 0.0257 |
| Relative mean VO2 | higher | lower | p = 0.0275 |
| Time at >90% VO2max | greater | lesser | p = 0.0257 |
| Heart rate | same | same | p = 0.805 |
| Oxygen pulse | same | same | p = 0.1161 |
| Blood lactate | lower | higher | p = 0.0257 |
| dRPE legs / breathing | lower | higher | p = 0.0495 each |
| dRPE overall | lower (not significant) | — | p = 0.1837 |
| Maximal isometric knee-extension force | smaller reduction | greater reduction | p = 0.0495 |
Authors' conclusion: team-sport athletes using short cycling HIIT should use 15 s work intervals — more time near VO2max, lower perceived exertion, smaller post-exercise loss of peak muscle force.
Mechanism
Inference, not tested: shorter work bouts with equal-length rests let oxygen uptake stay high while limiting the anaerobic contribution per bout (lower lactate) and the accumulated force loss; the abstract reports the outcomes, not phosphocreatine kinetics or the cause of the neuromuscular difference.
Practical Application
n=16 male team-sport players, two volume-matched 2 × 6-min cycling sessions at 120% pVO2max: 15/15 s gave higher mean VO2 (p ≈ 0.026) and more time above 90% VO2max (p = 0.0257) than 30/30 s, with LOWER lactate (p = 0.0257), lower leg and breathing RPE (p = 0.0495) and a smaller drop in knee-extension force afterwards (p = 0.0495); heart rate was identical — the shorter bout bought more aerobic stimulus at less cost.
Inference, not tested: for VO2max blocks, 15/15-type short intervals are the format this study supports; the 30/15 format used elsewhere in the base was not tested here.
Inference, not tested: 30/30 s at the same intensity leans more anaerobic (higher lactate) and costs more neuromuscular fatigue — a choice for lactate-tolerance or race-specific work, not for maximising time at VO2max.
Not from this paper; the base's own practice: very short intervals are awkward in ERG mode because the trainer needs a few seconds to change resistance — ride 15/15s in level/resistance mode.
Overall RPE did not differ significantly (p = 0.1837); the perceptual advantage was in leg and breathing RPE.
Limitations
Team sport athletes (level not stated), not trained cyclists — transfer to cycling-specific context requires caution
Cycle ergometer at fixed % pVO2max — trainer mode not part of the design
Acute responses only — no chronic training study
Only two interval durations compared (15 s, 30 s) — no 60 s or longer; passive recovery only
How this entry was checked and changed
Content correction 2026-09-27
Tier 4-5 (Elite/International) -> Tier 2: the abstract says only "male team sport players", no level given. Sport line "cycling, team-sport" -> cycling.
RPE row said "lower, P<0.05" -> differentiated: leg and breathing dRPE p = 0.0495, overall dRPE not significant (p = 0.1837); added HR p = 0.805 and oxygen pulse p = 0.1161.
"ERG trainer response lag (2-5 s)" -> number removed, bullet labelled as the base's own practice; PCr mechanism labelled inference; lead now the study's finding.