How Effective Is a Tabata Kettlebell-HIIT Program?
In May 2015 in San Diego, ACSM’s 62nd annual meeting brought together thousands of professionals from around the globe in more than 70 disciplines to exchange research, present new clinical techniques and share scientific advancements in public health, physical activity, sports medicine and exercise science. This article covers just one of six studies reviewed. To read all of them, see “Six Takeaways From the ACSM Annual Meeting” in the online IDEA Library or in the September 2015 print issue of IDEA Fitness Journal. One of the topics the column explored the effectiveness of a tabata kettlebell-HIIT program, summarized here.
The study:
Acute Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Responses in Kettlebell High-Intensity Interval Training vs. Sprint Interval Cycling. B.M. Williams
&
R.R. Kraemer, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Methodology:
Eight men (average age 21) randomly completed two 12-minute exercise sessions. In the kettlebell-HIIT (KB-HIIT) session, the men performed three circuits of four exercises (sumo squat, kettlebell swings, clean
&
press and sumo dead lift) using a Tabata protocol (20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest). In the second exercise session, the participants performed three 30-second sprint interval cycling (SIC) bouts at an “all-out” effort, each followed by a 4-minute self-selected cycling recovery.
Results indicated that the Tabata KB-HIIT protocol elicited higher oxygen consumption and a lower respiratory exchange ratio (subjects were burning slightly more fat during the work bout). Total kilocalorie expenditure was significantly higher during the KB-HITT (144 kcal) than in the SIC bout (122 kcal).
Take-home message:
KB-HIIT training using a Tabata protocol is a good cardiorespiratory stimulus and a meaningful program design component in an exercise intervention for weight management.
To read more about the other topics explored at ACSM this year, please see “Six Takeaways From the ACSM Annual Meeting” in the online IDEA Library or in the September 2015 print issue of IDEA Fitness Journal. If you cannot access the full article and would like to, please contact the IDEA Inspired Service Team at (800) 999-4332, ext. 7.