Can cable-row HIIT train a kayaker’s heart?

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In 24 well-trained male kayakers, 8 weeks of resistance-type HIIT and paddling HIIT both improved cardiac function and 500-m performance more than usual paddling; only RHIIT also raised maximum strength.

Source

Effects of a New Form of Resistance-Type High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiac Structure, Hemodynamics, and Physiological and Performance Adaptations in Well-Trained Kayak Sprint Athletes

Sheykhlouvand M, Arazi H, Astorino TA, et al. · Frontiers in physiology · 2022

doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.850768 Read the full paper ↗40 citationscc by

Study at a glance

Design: RCT — 8-week three-arm RCT in well-trained male kayak sprinters: resistance-type HIIT (RHIIT), paddling HIIT (PHIIT), or usual on-water control
N: N=24 · 24 kayakers, age 27±4 years; n=8 per arm
Population: Well-trained male kayak sprint athletes
Outcome: Cardiac structure/hemodynamics, VO2peak, anaerobic power, 500-m/1000-m paddling, strength, hormones

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What they did

Randomly assigned 24 kayakers (n=8) to RHIIT (one-armed cable row at 100% vVO2peak), PHIIT (six paddling sets at 100% vVO2peak), or control (1-h on-water paddling at 70–80% HRmax, six sessions/week) for 8 weeks, then retested heart, fitness, and performance.

What they found

All groups improved VO2peak, Qmax, resting SV, LVESd, and 500-m time. PHIIT’s VO2peak gain exceeded control (p=0.03). PHIIT and RHIIT beat control on 500-m (p=0.02 and 0.05) and raised power, SVmax, EDV, EF, testosterone/cortisol, and 1000-m performance. Only RHIIT increased max strength.

The limits

What it doesn't show

n=8 per arm in trained men cannot prove RHIIT is best for women, novices, or race medals; control still trained, so this is not rest vs HIIT.

Key terms

RHIIT: Resistance-type high-intensity interval training using one-armed cable row at 100% vVO2peak.
PHIIT: Paddling-based HIIT: six sets of kayak paddling at 100% vVO2peak.
vVO2peak: Lowest velocity that elicits peak oxygen uptake; used to match interval intensity.
Stroke volume (SV): Blood ejected per beat; resting SV rose in all groups, SVmax in HIIT arms.
EDV: End-diastolic volume; increased with PHIIT/RHIIT, aiding VO2peak.
T/C ratio: Testosterone/cortisol ratio, an anabolic/catabolic marker that rose after both HIIT types.

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Athletes randomised:

Common questions

How many athletes?

24 male kayakers, 8 per group, mean age 27±4.

How long was training?

8 weeks.

Did PHIIT beat control on VO2peak?

Yes; p=0.03 for the VO2peak change.

What was unique to RHIIT?

Maximum strength increased pre to post.