Comparison of Tabata Training Effects on Physical Fitness and Body Composition in Female University Students With Normal Weight and Overweight: A Quali-Experimental Study
الموضوعات :
Zahra Mirzashaeri
1
,
Farshad Ghazalian
2
,
Shahin Salehi
3
1 - PhD Candidate in Exercise Physiology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Exercise Physiology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
3 - Associate Professor, Sports and Exercise Medicine Specialist, Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
الکلمات المفتاحية: HIIT, Tabata protocol, Female students, Body fat, Aerobic capacity,
ملخص المقالة :
Abstract
Background:Sedentary behavior among female university students is on the rise, often associated with weight gain and reduced physical fitness. Tabata training, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) modality, was examined for its impact on body composition and fitness parameters in normal-weight and overweight female students.
In this study, 52 female students aged 20–25 were randomly divided into four groups: Tabata-normal weight (n=15), Tabata-overweight (n=11), control-normal weight (n=14), and control-overweight (n=12). A Tabata protocol was followed by the training groups for 8 weeks (3 sessions a week). The outcome measures included body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, VO2max, vertical jump height, and agility (4×9 m shuttle run). The data were analyzed using repeated-measure ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.
Body weight (P=0.014), BMI (P=0.017), fat percentage (P=0.009), and VO2max (P=0.021) all showed significant main effects, with group-by-time interactions also significant (P<0.05). Only the overweight Tabata group showed statistically significant improvements. Vertical jump (P=0.312) and agility (P=0.281) did not show any significant differences.
Conclusion: In overweight female students, an 8-week Tabata-based HIIT program significantly improved body composition and aerobic capacity, which supports its application in academic settings as an efficient and accessible fitness strategy
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