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Niels Vollaard

Lecturer, University of Stirling

My main research interests are in the health benefits of exercise in general, and the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) in specific. HIT has rapidly gained in popularity over the past decade, and is often promoted as a time-efficient alternative to aerobic exercise. However, although the health benefits of HIT in lab-based studies are generally at least as good as or better than those associated with aerobic exercise, commonly used HIT protocols are less time-efficient than generally suggested and far too strenuous to be viable as exercise interventions for sedentary populations. In my research I address the question why HIT is so effective at improving health markers, and I use this information to attempt to ‘optimise’ HIT protocols by making them shorter and easier while retaining the health benefits. Our current working hypothesis is that the rapid glycogen breakdown during ‘supramaximal’ sprints is one of the main stimuli for the adaptations to HIT, and that therefore fewer and shorter sprints should be effective. Based on this hypothesis, we have developed an effective HIT protocol that is genuinely time-efficient (10 minutes per session / 3 sessions per week) and manageable (ratings of perceived exertion similar to those with moderate intensity exercise). This protocol, termed reduced-exertion HIT (REHIT) has great potential to remove many of the barriers that prevent sedentary individuals from reaping the benefits of exercise.

Less pain, more gain – improving health and fitness with minimal exercise

Jan 17, 2017 14:44 pm UTC| Health

When it comes to exercise, if there was a way to get more health benefits by doing less, then its likely a lot of people would be interested. This is probably the reason that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) gets a...

Economy

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Gas is good until 2050 and beyond, under Albanese gas strategy

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Politics

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US Supreme Court upended decades of precedent in 2022 by allowing voters to vote with gerrymandered maps instead of fixing the congressional districts first

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What early 2024 polls are revealing about voters of color and the GOP

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Science

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The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

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Technology

Skechers Sales Surge as Growth Lags for Nike and Adidas; Nike Eyes 2024 Olympics

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