Faculty Mentor

Wendy Repovich

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Department

Physical Education, Health and Recreation

Abstract

Short-term high intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to significantly improve body composition and intraabdominal fat stores. Studies have shown Tabata, a protocol using repeated rounds of 20-sec of work and 10-sec of rest, to be a valid protocol for HIIT. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a short term, short duration, HIIT intervention using a Tabata protocol, on intra-abdominal fat and body composition. Fourteen participants performed eight rounds of Tabata body weight jump squats, at maximal effort each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for three weeks. There were no significant differences in body composition. The amount of intra-abdominal fat did significantly decrease, p ≤ 0.05. The decrease in intra-abdominal fat suggest that short term, short duration, HIIT can reduce health risks associated with high amounts of intra-abdominal fat, such as cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Future research should utilize lower impact body weight exercises, control for outside physical activity, and include a larger population size.

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