CONTINUOUS VS.
INTERVAL AEROBIC TRAINING IN
8- TO 11-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN
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GEORGES BAQUET,1 FRANCxOIS-XAVIER GAMELIN,1 PATRICK MUCCI,1 DELPHINE THÉVENET,2
EMMANUEL VAN PRAAGH,3 AND SERGE BERTHOIN1
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1
Laboratory of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Lille 2 University, Ronchin,
France; 2Laboratory of Human Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes University, Nantes, France; and 3Laboratory of
Exercise Biology, Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
ABSTRACT
Baquet, G, Gamelin, F-X, Mucci, P, Thévenet, D, Van Praagh, E,
and Berthoin, S. Continuous vs. interval aerobic training in 8- to
11-year-old children. J Strength Cond Res 24(5): 1381–1388,
2010—The aim of the present study was to show if the use of
continuous-running training vs. intermittent-running training has
comparable or distinct impact on aerobic fitness in children.
At first, children were matched according to their chronological
age, their biological age (secondary sexual stages), and their
physical activity or training status. Then, after randomization
3 groups were composed. Sixty-three children (X 9.6 6 1.0
years) were divided into an intermittent-running training group
(ITG, 11 girls and 11 boys), a continuous-running training group
(CTG, 10 girls and 12 boys), and a control group (CG, 10 girls
and 9 boys). Over 7 weeks, ITG and CTG participated in 3 run-
ning sessions per week. Before and after the training period,
they underwent a maximal graded test to determine peak
oxygen uptake (peak V_ O2) and maximal aerobic velocity (MAV).
Intermittent training consisted of short intermittent runs with
repeated exercise and recovery sequences lasting from 5/15 to
30/30 seconds. With respect to continuous training sessions,
repeated exercise sequences lasted from 6# to 20#. Training-
effect threshold for statistical significance was set at p , 0.05.
After training, peak V_ O2 was significantly improved in CTG
(+7%, p , 0.001) and ITG (+4.8%, p , 0.001), whereas no
difference occurred for the CG (21.5%). Similarly, MAV
increased significantly (p , 0.001) in both CTG (+8.7%)
and ITG (+6.4%) with no significant change for CG. Our results
demonstrated that both continuous and intermittent-running
sessions induced significant increase in peak V_ O2 and MAV.
Therefore, when adequate combinations of intensity/duration
exercises are offered to prepubertal children, many modalities
Address correspondence to Baquet Georges, georges.baquet@
univ-lille2.fr.
24(5)/1381–1388
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Ó 2010 National Strength and Conditioning Association
of exercises can successfully be used to increase their aerobic
fitness. Aerobic running training is often made up of regular and
long-distance running exercises at moderate velocity, which
causes sometimes boredom in young children. During the
developmental years, it seems therefore worthwhile to use
various training modalities, to make this activity more attractive
and thus create conditions for progress and enhanced
motivation.
KEY WORDS prepubertal boys and girls, aerobic fitness,
running, maximal aerobic velocity
INTRODUCTION
P
revious studies have demonstrated that both
well-designed continuous and intermittent training
protocols induced significant aerobic fitness im-
provement in prepubertal children (4). In a litera-
ture review, Baquet et al. (4) reported in children and
adolescents a significant increase in peak oxygen uptake
(peak V_ O2) after a continuous-running training program
(+10.6%) and an interval running training program (+11.8).
Although physiological responses to continuous exercises
mainly depend on aerobic fitness, responses to intermittent
exercises also depend on anaerobic capacity and recovery
ability between each bout of exercise. Thus, intermittent
exercises may have significant effects on other dimensions
of children’s fitness, for example, anaerobic fitness (2).
Moreover, children seem to tolerate intermittent exercises
better than continuous ones (18). Children’s habitual physical
activity (PA) pattern is highly intermittent and characterized
by rapid changes from rest to PA of vigorous intensities (1,3).
It was, therefore, suggested that a high-intensity intermittent-
running program is better suited to the transitory nature of
children’s PA patterns and then stresses more efficiently their
cardiorespiratory system. The question if there is an ideal
protocol for aerobic training in prepubertal children is still
under debate. In the literature, most protocols addressing
the trainability of children are based on continuous exercises
(15 studies), whereas only 7 studies have investigated the
effects of intermittent or mixed exercises on peak V_ O2. Three
VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 5 | MAY 2010 | 1381
 Aerobic Training in Children
studies simultaneously compared both training modalities in
a comparable population (10,11,20). In the study by Williams
et al. (20), children failed to increase their peak V_ O2 after
training, whereas McManus et al. (10,11) reported significant
aerobic fitness improvement in a comparable population.
However, none of these studies simultaneously investigated
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the effects of interval running and continuous-running
modalities. McManus et al. (10) and Williams et al. (20)
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compared a sprint-interval running with a continuous cycle
ergometer–training program, whereas McManus et al. (11)
compared a cycling interval-training program with a contin-
uous cycle ergometer program. As short high-intensity
intermittent cycling training compared with continuous
exercise at moderate intensity has been found to more
improve significantly children’s peak V_ O2 (11), it might be
expected that the magnitude of change would be quite
similar, when comparing the 2 training regimens by means of
a running training program. Therefore, the aim of the present
study was to compare the effects of continuous and
intermittent running training on children’s aerobic fitness.
METHODS
Experimental Approach to the Problem
A 3-group experimental design was applied where short high-
intensity intermittent-running training was compared with
moderate-intensity continuous-running training. Both train-
ing modalities were compared with a nonexercising control
condition. The hypothesis was, providing that training
programs are individualized by using the maximal aerobic
velocity (MAV) of each children, peak V_ O2 and MAV are
increasing jointly whatever training modality. Variety
enhances the attractiveness of the program and is therefore
more motivating for children. Using different exercises
alternatively might induce a positive effect on children’s
motivation.
Subjects
Seventy-seven 8- to 11-year-old children (43 boys and 34
girls) participated in the study. The children were randomly
taken from 6 elementary classes in 2 schools. The study was
designed in accordance with the ethical standards of the
Helsinki Declaration of 1975 and received the approval of the
‘‘Consultative Committee for the Protection of Persons in
Biomedical Research’’. Full advice about possible risks and
discomfort with the protocol was given to the individuals and
their parents, and all signed a written informed consent form
before the investigation.
Stature and body mass were measured with a wall
stadiometer (Vivioz Medical, Paris, France) and a calibrated
beam balance (Tanita TBF 543, Tokyo, Japan), to the nearest
0.1 cm and 0.1 kg, respectively. Sexual maturity was evaluated
from pubertal stages: indices of breast, pubic hair, and genital
development (17). The same pediatrician made all observa-
tions. All boys were at stage 1 for genital development and
pubic hair, except for 3 (stage 3). Twenty-nine girls were at
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1382 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
stage 1 for breast and pubic hair, whereas for the remaining
girls, the combined maturational stage assessment was #3.
Using a self-administered questionnaire (12), sport practice
was assessed. Concerning the latter, the subjects were
provided with a detailed one-page diary so as to list the
number and types of sports activities each of them had
engaged in during the previous 7 days; it was therefore
possible to evaluate the type of sports practiced and the
number of episodes of sports over 1 week and the time spent
in sport clubs during the previous week.
At first, children were matched according to their
chronological age, their biological age (secondary sexual
stages), and their PA or training status. For the training
sessions, children from the first school were randomly
assigned to the continuous training group (CTG) or the
control group (CG), and those from the second school were
randomly assigned to the intermittent training group (ITG) or
CG. Each group had 2 regular mandatory 60 minute-physical
education (PE) lessons per week, including games and
exercises with low aerobic requirements. The intermittent
training group and CTG had 3 additional PE sessions
(from 18 to 39 minutes) per week specifically devoted either
to high-intensity intermittent-running or moderate continu-
ous-running exercises. Although the investigators tried to
complete the measurement of fitness variables, 7 children in
the experimental groups (7 boys) and 7 in CG (3 girls and 4
boys) were rejected for absences during the training program
(2 or more absences over 21 sessions) or during different
aerobic fitness assessment sessions. The absences were
because of illness or parental convenience. Any injury was
reported during the training program.
Sixty-three were finally retained for the statistical analysis
(ITG, 11 girls and 11 boys; CTG, 10 girls and 12 boys; CG,
10 girls and 9 boys). Mean values for age, body mass, height,
body mass index, and sport club participation are presented
in Table 1.
Procedures
Before entering the study, the children were familiarized
twice with the testing procedures. Each child had to run on
Figure 1. Short track for intermittent exercise.
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TABLE 1. Mean 6 SD anthropometric values and sport practice before and after the 7-week program.

Control group (n = 19) Continuous training group (n = 22)

Pretest Posttest Pretest Posttest

Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D

Age (y) 9.8 6 1.2 8.3–11.4 10.1 6 1.2 8.5–11.7 9.3 6 0.9 8.3–10.9 9.5 6 0.9 8.5–11.7
Height (m) 1.39 6 0.11 1.22–1.65 1.42 6 0.11 1.26–1.69 0.03 6 0.008 1.36 6 0.05 1.25–1.43 1.38 6 0.05 1.27–1.44 0.02 6 0.008
Body mass 36.2 6 10.9 23.8–60.2 37.0 6 11.1 24.4–62.0 0.7 6 1.3 33.5 6 7.8 23.5–59.0 34.7 6 8.1 24.9–61.8 1.0 6 0.7
(kg)
BMI (kg
m22) 18.5 6 3.6 13.0–27.9 18.2 6 3.5 14.7–27.7 20.3 6 0.7 17.9 6 3.3 13.9–28.1 18.1 6 3.4 14.1–28.6 0.2 6 0.6
Sport practice 0.8 6 0.6 0–1.5 1.1 6 0.6 0–2
(h
wk21)

Intermittent training group (n = 22)

the

Pretest Posttest ANOVA 2-factor (group)

Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D p (F)

Age (y) 10.0 6 9.5 9.1–11.4 10.3 6 9.8 9.3–11.7

Height (m) 1.41 6 0.07 1.31–1.54 1.42 6 0.07 1.33–1.57 0.02 6 0.008 ns (1.4)
Body mass 35.0 6 8.1 25.7–58.6 35.0 6 8.1 26.2–59.0 7.4 6 11.7 ns (1.5)
(kg)
BMI (kg
m22) 17.5 6 2.7 13.8–24.7 17.6 6 2.6 14.2–24.2 0.1 6 0.4 ns (0.05)
Sport practice 0.9 6 0.5 0–1.5 ns (0.02)
(h
wk21)
D = difference between post- and pre-training; BMI = body mass index.
ns = non significantly different from pre-test.
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1384
the
TABLE 2. Details of short intermittent high-intensity training for each session.
Session 1 Time to exhaustion at 90% of MAV Session 12 20-m Shuttle run test Recovery and session duration for each exercise
Session 2 Time to exhaustion at 100% of MAV Session 13 1 Set (5*20 s) at 100% of MAV Children are divided into 2 groups according to
2 Sets (5*20 s) at 110% of MAV their MAV. The first group runs and the second
Aerobic Training in Children

2 Sets (5*20 s) at 120% of MAV are at rest and conversely. Exercises

Session 3 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
4 Sets (10*10 s) at 110% of MAV
Session 4 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (10*10 s) at 110% of MAV
1 Set (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 5 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
2 Sets (10*10 s) at 110% of MAV
Session 14 1 Set (5*20 s) at 100% of MAV
1 Set (5*20 s) at 110% of MAV
3 Sets (5*20 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 15 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (20*5 s) of sprinting or
jumping with 15 s of recovery
between each repetition
Session 16 1 Set (5*30 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (5*30 s) at 110% of MAV
10*10 s 10-s passive recovery between each
repetition. 3# between each set. Session duration: 25#
Exercises 5*15 s 15-s passive recovery between each
repetition. 5# between each set. Session duration: 35#
Exercises 5*20 s 20-s passive recovery between each
repetition. 3# between each set. Session duration: 25#

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

TM
2 Sets (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 6 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
1 Set (10*10 s) at 110% of MAV
3 Sets (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 7 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
4 Sets (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 8 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (20*5 s) of sprint or jumping
with 15 s of recovery between
each repetition
Session 9 1 Set (5*20 s) at 100% of MAV
4 Sets (5*20 s) at 110% of MAV
Session 10 1 Set (5*20 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (5*20 s) at 110% of MAV
1 Set (5*20 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 11 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (20*5 s) of sprinting or
jumping with 15 s of recovery
between each repetition
The 2 first sessions of each training program were devoted estimating the children’s critical velocity (5). MAV = maximal aerobic velocity.
Session 17 1 Sets (5*30 s) at 100% of MAV Exercises 10*15 s 10-s passive recovery between each
3 Sets (5*30 s) at 110% of MAV repetition. 3# between each set. Session duration: 32#
Session 18 1 Set (10*15 s) at 100% of MAV Exercises 5*30 s 30-s passive recovery between each
1 Set (10*15 s) at 110% of MAV repetition. 3# between each set. Session duration: 35#
3 Sets (10*15 s) at 120% of MAV
Session 19 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
3 Sets (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
1 Set (10*10 s) at 130% of MAV
Session 20 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
2 Sets (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
2 Sets (10*10 s) at 130% of MAV
Session 21 1 Set (10*10 s) at 100% of MAV
1 Set (10*10 s) at 120% of MAV
3 Sets (10*10 s) at 130% of MAV
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the treadmill with an initial velocity of 6 km
h21, after which
the speed was increased by 0.5 km
h21 per 1-minute stage
until 8 km
h21.
Before and after the training period, the children performed
a maximal graded treadmill test, to determine their MAV and
peak V_ O2. The test started with an initial velocity of 6 km
h21,
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On this track, the children were placed in different lanes
according to their MAV. They had to cover the distance
between the 2 extremities in 10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds. For
instance, an individual performing a 9 km
h21 MAV had to run
a 50-m distance in 20 seconds, that is, 100% of his maximal
aerobic speed. After 20-second recovery interval, he or she

after which the speed was increased by 0.5 km
h21 per turned back and repeated the run in the opposite direction. For
1-minute stage. The velocity at the last completed stage was the 5/15-second sessions, each child sprinted or jumped for
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considered as the MAV (6). During the graded test,
respiratory gas exchanges were measured breath by breath
using a portable system (Cosmed K4b2, Rome, Italy) (9) to
determine ventilation (VE), oxygen uptake (V_ O2), and carbon
dioxide production (VCO2). Before each test, O2 and CO2
analysis systems were calibrated using ambient air and a gas
of known O2 (16%) and CO2 (5%) concentrations. For the
calibration of the turbine flowmeter of the K4b2, a 3-L syringe
(Quinton Instruments, Seattle, WA, USA) was used. V_ O2 and
CO2 values were averaged over 5-second periods. Heart rate
(HR) was continuously monitored (Polar Accurex+, Polar
Electro, Kempele, Finland). This compact device was easy to
attach without constricting the children’s movements. Peak
V_ O2 was determined as the 2 highest 5-second V_ O2 values.
Peak V_ O2 was accepted as a maximal index, when HRmax
reached a value above 195 b
min21 or when the respiratory
exchange ratio (RER) was higher than 1, associated with
visible exhaustion (19).
Over 7 weeks, ITG and CTG performed 3 18- to 39-minute
running sessions per week. Intermittent training consisted of
short intermittent runs with exercise and recovery sequences
lasting 5/15, 10/10, 15/10, 20/20, and 30/30 seconds.
Intensities were set from 100 to 190% of MAV. These exercises
were performed on a short track (Figure 1).
5 seconds interspersed with 15-second recovery interval.
Details of the training program are outlined in Table 2.
Continuous training sessions comprised set and exercise
sequences lasting 4*6#, 3*8#, 2*10#, 2*12#, 1*15#, 1*18#, and
1*20# with 5# recovery between each set. Intensity was set
from 80 to 85% of MAV. These exercises were performed on
a 150-m track marked with cones every 25 m. Children with
the same MAV ran together using a timer. The timer emitted
a brief sound that indicated to the children the moment when
they had to pass by a cone to maintain a constant speed.
Details of the training program are outlined in Table 3.
Running intensity was gradually increased in proportion to
the training sessions. The 2 training programs were designed
so as to obtain a comparable workload in each group. The
workload was calculated for each training session as the
product of mean intensity (% of MAV) and exercise time
(seconds) and expressed without unit. For example, the first
continuous training session was 4 sets of 6# at 80% of MAV
with 5# of recovery between sets. This session represented
115,200 (4*6*60*80).
Statistical Analyses
The normality distribution of the data was checked with the
Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Data are expressed as mean 6 SD.

TABLE 3. Details of continuous training at moderate intensity for each session.

Session 1 Time to exhaustion at Session 12 20-m Shuttle run test Recovery and
90% of MAV session duration
for each exercise
Session 2 Time to exhaustion at 100% Session 13 3 Sets of 8# at 85% of MAV 5# Passive recovery
of MAV between sets.
Session 3 4 Sets of 6# at 80% of MAV Session 14 2 Sets of 10# at 85% of MAV Session duration:
Session 4 3 Sets of 8# at 80% of MAV Session 15 1 Set of 12# and 1 set of 8# at from 18 to 39#
85% of MAV
Session 5 2 Sets of 10# at 80% of MAV Session 16 1 Set of 20# at 80% of MAV
Session 6 2 Sets of 12# at 80% of MAV Session 17 1 Set of 12# and 1 set of 8# at
85% of MAV
Session 7 1 Set of 12# and 1 set of 8# Session 18 1 Set of 20# at spontaneous rate
at 80% of MAV
Session 8 1 Set of 15# at 80% of MAV Session 19 1 Set of 15# at 85% of MAV
Session 9 1 Set of 18# at 80% of MAV Session 20 1 Set of 18# at 85% of MAV
Session 10 1 Set of 20# at 80% of MAV Session 21 1 Set of 20# at 85% of MAV
Session 11 4 Sets of 6# at 85% of MAV
The 2 first sessions of each training program were devoted to estimate the children’s critical velocity (5). MAV = maximal aerobic
velocity.

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Aerobic Training in Children

TABLE 4. Mean 6 SD cardiorespiratory values and maximal velocity at the end of the graded field test measured before and after the 7-week program.

Control group (n = 19) Continuous training group (n = 22)

Pretest Posttest Pretest Posttest

Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D

Peak V_ O2 50.6 6 6.1 41.6–64.1 49.7 6 6.7 42.2–67.5 20.8 6 2.5 50.1 6 6.0 40.0–58.0 53.6 6 6.3* 40.2–63.6 3.5 6 2.7
(ml
kg21
min21)

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

TM
RER 0.97 6 0.05 0.91–1.08 0.96 6 0.06 0.83–1.08 0.01 6 0.06 0.97 6 0.06 0.91–1.06 1.04 6 0.06 0.95–1.16 0.08 6 0.08
Peak V_ E (L
min21) 66.0 6 12.2 50.1–97.2 70.9 6 17.5 49.3–120.0 5.5 6 8.1 61.6 6 11.7 41.8–75.7 68.2 6 12.1 47.2–85.7 7.1 6 6.6
HRmax (b
min21) 201 68 185–210 200 6 7 187–213 22 6 5 201 68 184–212 200 6 7 185–208 22 6 3
MAV (km
h21) 10.8 6 1.4 9–14 10.9 6 1.4 8.5–14.5 0.1 6 0.4 10.8 6 1.1 9–12.5 11.7 6 1.1* 9.5–13 0.9 6 0.4

Intermittent training group (n = 22)

Pretest Posttest ANOVA 2-factor (group)

Mean 6 SD Range Mean 6 SD Range D p (F)

21 21
Peak V_ O2 (ml
kg
min ) 51.6 6 2.8 45.2–58.1 54.1 6 3.4* 47.4–60.5 2.5 6 2.5 ,0.001 (17.1)
RER 0.96 6 0.06 0.83–1.11 1.04 6 0.07 0.91–1.16 0.02 6 0.03 ns (1.4)
Peak V_ E (L
min21) 66.9 6 10.3 54.3–77.9 73.0 6 14.9 51.5–100.6 7.4 6 11.7 ns (1.5)
HRmax (b
min21) 200 6 6 191–210 202 66 192–211 26 5 ns (0.05)
MAV (km
h21) 11.3 6 0.7 10–12.5 12.1 6 0.7* 10.5–13.5 0.7 6 0.5 ,0.001 (15.5)
D = difference between post and pretraining; Peak V_ O2 = peak oxygen uptake, RER = respiratory exchange ratio, Peak V_ E = peak ventilation, HRmax = maximal heart rate,
MAV = maximal aerobic velocity.
*Significantly different from pretest (p , 0.05); ns = non significantly different from pre-test.

A 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to ensure
that the 3 groups were homogeneous according to anthro-
pometry and aerobic performances before training. The
effects of training were analyzed for statistical significance by
using a 3-way (gender 3 group 3 time) ANOVA that was
applied to the pre and posttraining values (time effect). For
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each variable, there was no effect that could be attributed to
a gender by time interaction. Therefore, in both groups, data
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for boys and girls were pooled and analyzed through a 2-way
ANOVA (group 3 time). Tukey post hoc analyses were
conducted to identify a training effect. The threshold for
statistical significance was set at p # 0.05.
RESULTS
At baseline, ANOVA revealed no group effect between the
experimental groups and the control group for anthropo-
metric, sport participation, or cardiorespiratory data. In
addition, no group by time interaction was observed between
changes in anthropometric data before and after training
(Table 1).
Mean 6 SD cardiorespiratory values and MAV measured
before and after the 7-week program are presented in Table 4.
At baseline, no significant group difference occurred between
values for peak V_ O2, MAV, and HRmax. No group by time
interaction was found for HRmax values.
Analysis of pre and posttest peak V_ O2 values revealed
a group by time interaction (p , 0.001). After training, peak
V_ O2 was significantly (p , 0.001) improved in both CTG
(50.1 6 6 vs. 53.6 6 6.3 ml
kg21
min21) and ITG (51.6 6 2.8
vs. 54.1 6 3.4 ml
kg21
min21, p , 0.001), whereas no
difference occurred for the CG (50.6 6 6.1 vs. 49.7 6 6.7
ml
kg21
min21). Between CGT and ITG, no significant
difference was found.
Pre and posttest MAV data revealed a group by time
interaction (p , 0.001). After training, MAV was significantly
(p , 0.001) improved in both CTG (10.8 6 1.1 vs. 11.7 6 1.1
km
h21) and ITG (11.3 6 0.7 vs. 12.1 6 0.7 km
h21, p ,
0.001), whereas no difference occurred for the CG (10.8 6 1.4
vs. 10.9 6 1.4 km
h21). Between CGT and ITG, no significant
difference was found.
In addition, the total work between intermittent and
continuous training was not significantly different (1,805,100
vs. 1,760,100 for CTG and ITG, respectively).
DISCUSSION
The key findings of this study were the comparable significant
effects of a high-intensity intermittent-running training pro-
gram and a continuous-running training program at a moderate
intensity on children’s aerobic fitness. This result underlines the
possibility of proposing a wide variety of exercises, which are
able to increase children’s aerobic fitness, and thus enhancing
interest to promote aerobic conditioning programs.
However, the optimum exercise combination for children
has yet to be designed. Few studies have reported the
responses of young children to carefully controlled and well-
the TM
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research | www.nsca-jscr.org
defined exercise (4). In the present study, boys and girls were
matched before randomly assigned to the control and the
experimental groups. Workloads of the 2 protocols were
similar and training intensity was individualized with MAV
for each child. Aerobic fitness increased after the training
period from +4.8% to +6.9% for ITG and CTG, respectively,
with any change for CG. MacManus et al. (11), using
continuous and intermittent cycling training, reported higher
significant increases in boys (+5.7 and +12.1%, respectively)
with an equalization of the total cardiovascular work done
between the 2 protocols. Comparing ‘‘all out’’ runs of short
duration (10 and 30 seconds) and a continuous cycling
training at 85% of HRmax, Williams et al. (20) failed to
improve peak V_ O2 in boys, whereas McManus et al. (10)
demonstrated a significant increase with an identical training
protocol in girls (+7.2% and +6.0% after continuous and
intermittent training, respectively). A higher initial peak V_ O2
in boys than in girls (55 vs. 48 ml
kg21
min21, respectively)
might partly explain the magnitude of peak V_ O2 increase (16).
The initial aerobic fitness of our participants was higher than
that reported by MacManus et al. (10,11), but lower than that
observed by Williams et al. (20). These data support the
findings reported in the literature showing that, on average,
an improvement in peak V_ O2 (+2.7%) was lower in
prepubertal individuals with a high initial level of aerobic
fitness than for those with a low initial (+5.9%) (4). In these
3 studies comparing continuous and intermittent aerobic
training, one involved girls and the other 2 only boys. In the
present study, boys and girls were mixed, and the results
showed no gender effect after training indicating that both
boys and girls increased their aerobic fitness. In adults, after
aerobic training, an increase in V_ O2max is related to both
central and peripheral cardiovascular adaptations, as shown
by the increase in maximal cardiac output and maximal
arterio-venous oxygen difference (21). However, in children,
Obert et al. (14) showed that a conditioning program resulted
in central cardiovascular adaptations. Daussin et al. (7)
recently suggested that central and peripheral adaptations in
oxygen transport and use are training-modality dependent.
Interval training improves both central and peripheral
components of peak V_ O2, whereas continuous training is
mainly associated with greater O2 extraction. Helgerud et al.
(8) observed that an interval training (15/15 seconds or 4#*4#
at 90–95% of HRmax) significantly increased V_ O2max
compared with continuous training at 70 and 85% V_ O2max.
They suggested that this improvement was because of an
increased stroke volume resulting in increased cardiac
output. However, the 2 former studies were conducted on
adults. Current knowledge of the impact of exercise training
on stroke volume is however limited in the pediatric
population. Obert et al. (15) showed that high-intensity
aerobic sessions failed to improve regional diastolic function
in healthy young children. However, Nourry et al. (13)
reported that these sessions enhanced resting pulmonary
function and led to deeper exercise VE reflecting a better
VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 5 | MAY 2010 | 1387
 Aerobic Training in Children
effectiveness in prepubescent children. However, in children,
further studies are needed to investigate central and peri-
pheral adaptations according to aerobic training modality.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
In the present study, a MAV improvement was observed
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
(ITG + 7.1% and CTG +8.3%, respectively), and no significant
difference was reported between the 2 protocols. This
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC4/OAVpDDa8KKGKV0Ymy+78= on 04/08/2024
indicated that each protocol, carefully individualized for each
child, was able to improve the children’s aerobic fitness to the
same extent. These protocols can be used during PE lessons or
training sessions in a sports club. To increase aerobic fitness,
running is more natural and easier to practice than cycling. At
school, these sessions can be organized on the playground. A
short track (Figure 1) can be designed, children can be trained
all together at the same time and at the same percentage of
MAV. Two groups with different MAVs can run according to
either exercise/recovery sequences or exercise/recovery sets.
For continuous training, a track separated with cones every
25 m can also be used. Using a timer, each group of MAV starts
at a different cone, and then, all the children can run together.
Thus, running pace is easier to control, and teachers or trainers
can just take care of the running technique. Aerobic running
training is often made up of regular and long-distance running
exercises at moderate velocity. It seems worthwhile to use
different training modalities during, for example, PE sessions,
to make this activity more attractive and thus create conditions
for progress and enhanced motivation.
Our results demonstrated that both well-individualized
continuous and intermittent-running sessions induced mod-
est but significant increases of peak V_ O2 and MAV. Therefore,
when adequate combinations of intensity/duration exercises
are offered to children, many exercise modalities can
successfully be used to increase their aerobic fitness and
adhesion to conditioning programs.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We express our thanks to teachers and children from the
French primary schools in Illies and Herlies and the Lille
school inspectors. No grant has been awarded for this project.
No funding was received for this work from any of the
following organizations: National Institutes of Health (NIH);
Welcome Trust; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI);
and other(s).
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