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Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 15027

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Katie M. Heinrich

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Guest Editor

Functional Intensity Training Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Interests: high intensity functional training; tactical athletes; exercise interventions; physical activity and obesity policy; built environment; active transportation
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Prof. Dr. Derek A. Crawford

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Guest Editor

School of Nutrition, Kinesiology, and Psychological Science, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093, USA
Interests: high-intensity function training; exercise behavior; psychophysiology; patient-centered outcomes

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Since 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has conducted an annual survey to track fitness trends. High-intensity training (under the term high-intensity interval training; HIIT) has remained in the top 3 since 2014 and group-based training, after entering in the 6th place in 2017, has also remained in the top 3. This Special Issue is focused on the intersection of these two trends, aiming to better understand health- and fitness-related outcomes from participating in high-intensity group training. We welcome research focusing on the behavioral, social, psychological, and physiological contributions to exercise, sport, fitness, and public health resulting from these programs. Manuscripts might include original research, meta-analysis, PRISMA-framed reviews, and brief reports.

Prof. Dr. Katie M. Heinrich
Prof. Dr. Derek A. Crawford
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

high intensity
HIIT
high-intensity functional training (HIFT)
exercise
physical activity

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 343 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Traditional Physical Education Classes Improve High School Students’ Movement Competency and Fitness: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation Study

by Katie M. Heinrich, Cassandra M. Beattie, Derek A. Crawford, Peter Stoepker and Jason George

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105914 - 22 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2086

Abstract

Non-traditional physical education (PE) programs may facilitate functional movement patterns and develop fitness and work capacity to facilitate long-term physical activity. This program evaluation study compared changes in body composition, movement competency, work capacity, and fitness for high school students in CrossFit or weight training PE; both classes were hypothesized to improve each area, with greater improvements in the CrossFit class. Students participated in 57 min classes 4 days per week for 9 months. Measures including body composition, movement competencies (squat, lunge, push-up, pull-up, hinge, and brace), work capacity (two CrossFit workouts), and fitness (air squats, push-ups, inverted row, plank hold, horizontal and vertical jumps, 5 rep max back squat and press, 500 m bike, and 12 min run) were taken at baseline, midpoint, and post-test. Focus groups to assess students’ experiences and outcomes were conducted at post-test. Students significantly improved in movement competencies (ps = 0.034 to <0.001), work capacity (ps < 0.001), and all fitness tests (ps = 0.036 to <0.001). The CrossFit class was only superior on the 500 m bike. Four themes were identified from the focus groups: (1) increased self-confidence, (2) health improvements, (3) newfound community, and (4) translational sports improvements. Future research should examine changes using an experimental design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training)

13 pages, 579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of a High-Intensity Circuit Training Program on the Physical Fitness of Wildland Firefighters

by Jorge Gutiérrez-Arroyo, Fabio García-Heras, Belén Carballo-Leyenda, José G. Villa-Vicente, Juan Rodríguez-Medina and Jose A. Rodríguez-Marroyo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2073; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032073 - 23 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2341

Abstract

Wildland firefighting implies high physical and psychological demands for the personnel involved. Therefore, good physical fitness can help increase the work efficiency of wildland firefighters (WFFs) and safeguard their health. High-intensity circuit training (HICT) could be a good alternative to improve the physical condition of WFFs since it stands out for its functionality and economy. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the effects of HICT on the WFFs’ physical fitness. The study involved 9 WFFs (8 males and 1 female; 29.8 ± 2.8 years; 175.6 ± 6.7 cm) who completed a training program and 9 WFF candidates (8 males and 1 female; 24.7 ± 6.6 yr, 176.5 ± 7.0 cm) as a control group. WFFs performed an 8-week HICT program (two weekly training sessions). The training sessions lasted approximately 45 min and were performed at an intensity >80% of maximal heart rate and RPE values >7.5. At the beginning and the end of the intervention, subjects’ physical fitness (i.e., aerobic capacity, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular resistance and explosive strength) was assessed through different tests. After completing the training program, WFFs had significantly increased (p < 0.05) the speed at which the ventilatory thresholds were determined (12.4 ± 13.9 and 5.7 ± 7.3% for the ventilatory and respiratory compensation thresholds, respectively) and also their abdominal (31.2 ± 17.2%), lumbar (34.1 ± 13.5%) and upper limb (13.3 ± 16.0%) strength. Moreover, improvements (p < 0.05) in the explosive strength of legs (7.1 ± 5.8%) and performance in a specific physical employment test (12.2 ± 6.1%) were observed. In conclusion, the results of this study show that an 8-week high-intensity circuit training program could be an effective and safe method to improve WFFs’ physical fitness and performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training)

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9 pages, 705 KiB

Open AccessArticle

I CrossFit; Do You? Cross-Sectional Peer Similarity of Physical Activity Behavior in a Group High Intensity Functional Training Setting

by Tyler Prochnow, Christina Amo, Megan S. Patterson and Katie M. Heinrich

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 4932; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19094932 - 19 Apr 2022

Viewed by 2408

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is essential for physical, mental, and emotional health; however, few adults engage in enough PA. Group exercise environments such as CrossFit can promote sustained exercise habits through social influence, support, and norms. This cross-sectional study aims to provide evidence for PA social influence at CrossFit. CrossFit members (n = 62) reported PA, workout logging frequency, and members at their gym they: (1) work out with and (2) go to with personal matters. Separate linear network autocorrelation models (LNAMs) determined if individuals reported similar PA scores as those of their social ties at CrossFit that they work out with and/or those they go to for personal matters. Participants reported a mean of 2740.55 MET minutes/week (SD = 1847.08), working out with a mean of 9.89 members (SD = 6.26), and speaking to a mean of 2.66 members about personal matters (SD = 3.68). A person’s PA was significantly associated with that of their ties they go to with personal matters (PE_p = 0.08, SE_p = 0.02), but was not associated with the PA of their ties they work out with (PE_w = 0.02, SE_w = 0.01). Social influence on PA levels was present when a deeper connection is made between members. Fostering and promoting deeper connections between members may help promote PA and continued exercise habits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training)

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16 pages, 374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Improves Fitness in Recruit Firefighters

by Annmarie Chizewski, Allyson Box, Richard M. Kesler and Steven J. Petruzzello

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13400; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413400 - 20 Dec 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3020

Abstract

Background: Firefighting is a strenuous profession requiring adequate levels of fitness for effective job performance. Providing firefighters with a safe and effective fitness program is essential for optimal performance. The purpose of this project was to examine changes in various parameters of physical fitness and firefighter ability following a 7-week high intensity functional training (HIFT) program. Methods: Participants were male firefighter recruits (N = 89; age = 27.1 ± 4.2 years, height = 1.78 ± 0.1 m, BMI = 28.1 ± 4.2) enrolled in a Basic Operations Firefighter Academy. Fitness and firefighting ability (via the Academy Firefighter Challenge) were assessed at Weeks 1 and 7 of the Academy. Results: Significant improvements in both fitness and firefighter ability were seen following the HIFT program. Specifically, fitness (BMI, cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance) improved significantly [Hotelling’s T² = 8.98, F(5, 84) = 150.92, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.90]. Firefighter ability also improved significantly [Hotelling’s T² = 3.95, F(7, 88) = 46.26, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.80]. Conclusions: Following a 7-week Basic Operations Firefighter Academy that included daily HIFT, significant increases in fitness and firefighting ability were observed. These findings suggest that HIFT appears to be an effective means of improving fitness and firefighting ability in recruit firefighters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training)

20 pages, 665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Network Analysis of the Social Environment Relative to Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity in CrossFit Gyms

by Megan S. Patterson, Katie M. Heinrich, Tyler Prochnow, Taylor Graves-Boswell and Mandy N. Spadine

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228370 - 12 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3902

Abstract

Known for its ability to improve fitness and health, high-intensity functional training (HIFT) focuses on functional movements completed at high intensities, often yielding outcomes superior to repetitive aerobic workouts. Preference for and tolerance of high-intensity exercise are associated with enjoyment of and adherence to HIFT. Similarly, the social environment present within CrossFit, a popular group-based HIFT modality, is important to the enjoyment of and adherence to HIFT. This study aimed to test whether preference and tolerance were related to social connections within CrossFit networks. Linear network autocorrelation models (LNAMs) and exponential random graph models (ERGMs) were computed on sociometric and attribute data from members of three CrossFit networks (n = 197). LNAMs showed the preference and tolerance scores of someone’s social connections were associated with their own in all three gyms, and ERGMs demonstrated preference and tolerance scores were associated with the presence of social ties within all networks. This study is the first to provide evidence for a relationship between social connections and preference and tolerance. Future longitudinal research is needed to determine if the social environment may influence and optimize a person’s preference of and tolerance for HIFT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Fitness Outcomes from High Intensity Group Training)

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