Your exercise bike workout ideally provides aerobic fitness. However, surprising scientific research shows how you can quickly build endurance, too. No more long torturous workouts!

SIT: Sprint Interval Training

A research group at McMaster University in Ontario, headed by M.J. Gibala, has been studying SIT in a variety of ways over the past few years. One of the more surprising results they found compares standard cycling training (‘control’) with sprint interval training. You can wade through the details in their published abstract below, from the Journal of Applied Physiology if you want. Or you can just note the main result that I’ve indicated here, highlighted and in italics.

Burgomaster KA, Hughes SC, Heigenhauser GJ, Bradwell SN, Gibala MJ. 2005. Six sessions of sprint interval training increases muscle oxidative potential and cycle endurance capacity in humans. J Appl Physiol. Jun;98(6):1985-90.

Parra et al. (Acta Physiol. Scand 169: 157-165, 2000) showed that 2 wk of daily sprint interval training (SIT) increased citrate synthase (CS) maximal activity but did not change “anaerobic” work capacity, possibly because of chronic fatigue induced by daily training. The effect of fewer SIT sessions on muscle oxidative potential is unknown, and aside from changes in peak oxygen uptake (Vo(2 peak)), no study has examined the effect of SIT on “aerobic” exercise capacity. We tested the hypothesis that six sessions of SIT, performed over 2 wk with 1-2 days rest between sessions to promote recovery, would increase CS maximal activity and endurance capacity during cycling at approximately 80% Vo(2 peak). Eight recreationally active subjects [age = 22 +/- 1 yr; Vo(2 peak) = 45 +/- 3 ml.kg(-1).min(-1) (mean +/- SE)] were studied before and 3 days after SIT. Each training session consisted of four to seven “all-out” 30-s Wingate tests with 4 min of recovery. After SIT, CS maximal activity increased by 38% (5.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.7 mmol.kg protein(-1).h(-1)) and resting muscle glycogen content increased by 26% (614 +/- 39 vs. 489 +/- 57 mmol/kg dry wt) (both P < 0.05). Most strikingly, cycle endurance capacity increased by 100% after SIT (51 +/- 11 vs. 26 +/- 5 min; P < 0.05), despite no change in Vo(2 peak). The coefficient of variation for the cycle test was 12.0%, and a control group (n = 8) showed no change in performance when tested approximately 2 wk apart without SIT. We conclude that short sprint interval training (approximately 15 min of intense exercise over 2 wk) increased muscle oxidative potential and doubled endurance capacity during intense aerobic cycling in recreationally active individuals.

Note that the doubled endurance capacity occurred after only six sessions over two weeks. This is a very fast way to build endurance next time you go to the gym for an exercise bike workout.

Oh, and note that the results from two weeks of SIT also were also better than those of standard cycling training (the ‘control’). Although not stated in the abstract, standard cycling training is what you might expect – i.e., long distance riding for more than an hour at a time. Long, tortuous hours on the road (or exercycle) are no longer necessary for building endurance. Indeed, they are not even as efficient as a few SIT sessions.

Exercise bike updates,

FitScientist
(Dennis)