Effects of high intensity intermittent training on peak VO2 in prepubertal children

This study was designed to examine peak V (over dot) O-2 responses of prepubescent children following a 7-week aerobic training. Twenty-three boys and thirty girls (9.7 +/- 0.8 years) were divided into a high intensity experimental group (HIEG: 20 girls and 13 boys) and a control group (CG: 10 girls and 10 boys). A graded 20-m shuttle run with measurement of gas exchange values was performed prior to and after the 7-week training program. The test consisted of a 3-min run at 7 km x h(-1) to determine energy cost of running, immediately followed by a 20-meter shuttle run test. HIEG had two 30 min-sessions of short intermittent aerobic training per week at velocities ranging from 100 up to 130% of the maximal aerobic speed. For HIEG, absolute peak V (over dot) O-2 (9-1 %) and relative to body mass peak-V (over dot) O-2 (8.2 %) increased significantly (p < 0.001); it was unchanged in the CG. Similarly, maximal shuttle run improved significantly in HIEG (5.1 %, p < 0.001). in contrast, there was no significant change for CG. For both groups energy cost of running remained unchanged. These findings show that prepubescent children could significantly increase their peak V (over dot) O-2 and maximal shuttle velocity with high intensity short intermittent aerobic exercises.