Author and graduation date: Sharon Ann McKELVEY, March, 1998

Committee members: Michael J. Buono (Chair), Jeanne F. Nichols, Alex F. DeNoble

Thesis title: High Intensity Interval Training Effects in Female Cyclists

This study examined the effects of the addition of 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on variables related to performance in nine competitive female cyclists ( age = 34.9 + 5.1; VO2max =56.84 + 6.46). All cyclists were tested for VO2max, peak power output (PPO), lactate threshold (LT), peak lactate, leg fatigue (LF110) determined by a timed ride to exhaustion at 110% of PPO, and a 2.4-km hill climb time-trial both prior to and following 6 weeks of HITT. Once a week, for 6 consecutive weeks, the cyclists added HITT consisting of six to eight 2-minute intervals at 94.2 + 2.1% HRmax with a 4-minute recovery of easy spinning. HITT significantly (p = 0.014) improved mean (+SD), LF110 (80.3 + 19.8 vs. 100.56 + 126.12 sec), and PPO (283 + 28 vs. 306 + 37 W). No significant differences were found in other variables. These results suggest that highly-trained female cyclists can achieve training-specific performance improvement after only six sessions, once weekly, of HITT. Future study should be directed toward determining the physiological mechanisms responsible for the improved performance.

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