The Effect of Continuous Aerobic and High-Intensity Interval Training on Some Physical Fitness Factors in Young Football Players

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of continuous aerobic and high-intensity interval training on some physical fitness factors in young football players. Methods and Materials: For this purpose, 45 young football players from Hamadan were randomly selected and divided into three groups of 15: the continuous high-intensity aerobic training group (three sessions per week, at 90-95% of maximum heart rate), the high-intensity interval training group (three days per week, 30 minutes of high-intensity training, 30 minutes of rest), and the control group. At the beginning and after the completion of the 6-week training protocol, factors such as sprint speed test, 4x9 shuttle run agility test, and explosive leg power test were measured. The collected data were then analyzed using covariance analysis (ANCOVA) with pre-test values as the covariate and pairwise comparisons using Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS version 26, with a significance level of less than 0.05. Findings: The results showed significant differences in all physical fitness factors among all groups compared to the control group and among the groups themselves. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both continuous high-intensity aerobic training and high-intensity interval training likely lead to significant improvements in physical fitness factors, with continuous aerobic training potentially resulting in greater improvements. However, further research is needed for more precise examination.