High-Intensity Aerobic Training During a 10 Week One-Hour Physical Education Cycle : Effects on Physical Fitness of Adolescents Aged 11 to 16

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 %, p < 0.001, 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.

Endurance training, EUROFIT, gender, physical fitness assessment.

References

• 1 Adeniran S A, Toriola A L. Effects of continuous and interval running programmes on aerobic and anaerobic capacities in schoolgirls aged 13 to 17 years.  J Sports Med. 1988;  28 260-266
• 2 Bailey R C, Olson J, Pepper S L, Porszasz J, Barstow T J, Cooper D M. The level and tempo of children’s physical activities: an observation study.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  27 1033-1041
• 3 Bar-Or O, Zwiren L D. . 
• 4 Berthoin S, Manteca F, Gerbeaux M, Lensel-Corbeil G. Effect of a 12-week training programme on maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and running time to exhaustion at 100 % of MAS for students aged 14 to 17 years.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1995;  35 251-256
• 5 Berthoin S, Baquet G, Manteca F, Lensel-Corbeil G, Gerbeaux M. Maximal aerobic speed and running time to exhaustion for children 6 to 17 years old.  Ped Exerc Sci. 1996;  8 234 -244
• 6 Cilia G and Belluca M. Eurofit: Test Europei de Attitudine Fisica. [EUROFIT: European Test of Physical Fitness].  Roma ISEF; 1993
• 7 Commitee of Experts on Sports R esearch. Handbook for the Eurofit tests of physical fitness.  Rome: Edigraf Editoriale Grafica. 1988;  30 58
• 8 Ekblom B. Effect of physical training in adolescent boys.  J Appl Physiol. 1969;  27 350-355
• 9 Eriksson B. Physical training, oxygen supply, and muscle metabolism in 11 - 13 year old boys.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1972;  Suppl 384 1-48
• 10 Gerbeaux M, Lensel-Corbeil G, Branly G, Jacquet A, Lefranc J F, Dierkens J M, Savin A, Savin N. Estimation de la vitesse maximale aérobie chez les elèves des collèges et lycées.  Science et Motricité. 1991;  13 19-26
• 11 Jûrimäe T, Volbekiene V. EUROFIT tests results in Estonian and Lithuanian 11 - 17-year-old children: a comparative study.  European Journal of Physical Aducation. 1998;  3 178-184
• 12 Katic R. Motor efficacy of athletic training applied to seven-year old schoolgirls in teaching physical education.  Biology of Sport. 1995;  12 251-256
• 13 Kemper H CG, Verschuur R, Ras J GA, Snel J, Splinter P G, Tavecchio L WC. Effect of 5 versus 3 lessons a week physical education upon the physical development of 12 and 13 year old schoolboys.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1976;  16 319-326
• 14 Kemper H CG. Youth and physical fitness.  International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education review. 1985;  8 30-36
• 15 Kemper H CG, Kop H. Entraînement de la puissance maximale aérobie chez enfants pre-pubères et pubères, une revue de littérature.  Sciences et Sports. 1995;  10 29-38
• 16 Léger L, Boucher R. An indirect continuous running multistage field test: the Université de Montréal Track Test.  Can J Appl Sports Sci. 1980;  5 77-80
• 17 Léger L, Mercier D, Gadoury C, Lambert J. The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fitness.  J Sports Sci. 1988;  6 93-101
• 18 Lohman T G. Advances in body composition assessment.  Human Kinetics Champaign, IL; 1992
• 19 Maffulli N, King J B, Helms P. Training in elite young athletes (The training of young athletes [TOYA] study): Injuries, flexibility and isometric strength.  Br J Sports Med. 1994;  28 123-136
• 20 Mateo Vila J. La bateria EUROFIT como medio de detección de talentos.  Apunts: Educació Fisica Esports. 1990;  22 59 -68
• 21 Renson R. Ontstaan, verantwoording en selectie van de EUROFIT-Motorische testbatterij.  Hermes Leuven; 1987 - 1988; 19: 5-39
• 22 Rotstein A, Dotan R, Bar-Or O, Tenenbaum G. Effect of training on anaerobic threshold, maximal aerobic power and anaerobic performance of preadolescent boys.  Int J Sports Med. 1986;  7 281-286
• 23 Simoneau G G. The impact of various anthropometric and flexibility measurements on the sit-and-reach test.  J Strength and Cond Res. 1998;  12 232-237
• 24 Stewart KJ, Gutin G. Effects of physical training on cardiorespiratory fitness in children.  Res Q. 1976;  47 110-120
• 25 Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki M, Hirai Y, Ogita F, Miyachi M, Yamamoto K. Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and V˙O₂max.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;  28 1327-1330
• 26 Trudeau F, Laurencelle L, Tremblay J, Rajic M, Shephard R J. A long-term follow-up of participants in the Trois-Rivières semi-longitudinal study of growth and development.  Ped Exerc Sci. 1998;  10 366-377
• 27 Van Mechelen W, Van Lier W H, Hlobil H, Crolla I, Kemper C G. Handleiding met referentiesschalen voor 12-tot en met 16-jarige jongens en meijes in nederland.  Uitgeverij De Vrieseborch Haarlem; 1991
• 28 Violan M A, Small E W, Zetaruk M N, Micheli L J. The effect of karate training on flexibility, muscle strength, and balance in 8- to 13-year-old boys.  Ped Exerc Sci. 1997;  91 55-64