Abstract
Purpose Recovery within and between rounds is crucial to combat sports performance. We sought to determine whether sprint interval training (SIT) improves recovery dynamics and aerobic performance. Methods Eleven male kickboxing athletes (26 ± 5 years; body mass index 25 ± 3 kg/m 2 ) were recruited. Participants were tested three times for VO 2peak /time to exhaustion and critical power; baseline, 3 weeks control, 3 weeks of SIT (8 × 10 s lower body sprints followed by a maximum of 10 min recovery before completing 8 × 10 s upper body sprints). During SIT session 1 and 9 continuous gas analysis was performed. Results There was a significant reduction in recovery time between lower and upper body sprints with training (session 1: 441 ± 150 s; session 9: 268 ± 10 s; P < 0.01; d = 2.77) and change in oxygen off-kinetics amplitude (session1: 3.0 ± 0.7 L/min, session 9: 3.6 ± 1.0 L/min; P < 0.05; d = − 1.77), VO 2 end (session 1: 0.59 ± 0.19 L/min, session 9: 0.81 ± 0.21 L/min; P < 0.05, d = − 0.90), time constant (session 1: 81 ± 21 s; session 9: 60 ± 11 s; P < 0.05; d = 1.03). Following training there was a significant improvement in critical power ( P < 0.05; η 2 p = 0.72) time to exhaustion ( P < 0.05; η 2 p = 0.30) but not VO 2peak ( P > 0.05). Conclusion SIT improves recovery time associated and aerobic performance associated with improved oxygen off-kinetics. Therefore, training needs to focus on improving oxygen off-kinetics to enhance combat performance.