Authors' Reply to Tenan et al.: "A Method to Stop Analyzing Random Error and Start Analyzing Differential Responders to Exercise"

Hybrid-type, multicomponent interval training upregulates musculoskeletal fitness of adults with overweight and obesity in a volume-dependent manner: A 1-year dose-response randomised controlled trial

This study examined the dose-response effects of a 1-year hybrid-type, multicomponent interval training programme (DoIT) on various musculoskeletal fitness parameters in inactive overweight and obese adults in a gym setting. Ninety-seven middle-aged (44.8 ± 5.2 years) individuals with overweight/obesity (31.2 ± 5.7 kg/m²) (66% female) were randomly assigned to the following groups: (i) no-intervention control (CON, n = 29), (ii) DoIT performed once weekly (DoIT-1, n = 24), (iii) DoIT performed twice weekly (DoIT-2, n = 23) and (iv) DoIT performed thrice weekly (DoIT-3, n = 21). DoIT was a time-efficient, intermittent-based, multicomponent exercise protocol using progressive loaded fundamental movement patterns with prescribed work-to-rest intervals (1:3-2:1) in a circuit format (2-3 rounds). Muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, passive range of motion (PRoM), static balance and functional movement screen (FMS®) were assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months following intervention. At post-training, all exercise groups exhibited superior changes than CON in (i) muscular strength (+13%-38%, p < 0.001); (ii) muscular endurance (+42%-159%, p < 0.001); (iii) flexibility (+12%-42%, p < 0.001); (iv) PRoM (+6%-50%, p = 0.001-0.026); (v) static balance (+61%-163%, p < 0.001); and (vi) FMS (+18%-39%, p < 0.001). Although a single exercise session/week improved musculoskeletal fitness, changes demonstrated a step-wise improvement with two and three sessions/week suggesting a dose-dependent response. The response rate to training was 100% for all exercise groups. These findings suggest that a multicomponent exercise approach incorporating bodyweight drills and resistance-based alternative modes performed under real-world conditions may improve several musculoskeletal fitness indicators in a dose-dependent manner in inactive, middle-aged adults with overweight/obesity.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03759951.

Hybrid Neuromuscular Training Improves Cardiometabolic Health and Alters Redox Status in Inactive Overweight and Obese Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a 5-month high-intensity hybrid-type neuromuscular training program with nontraditional implements on cardiometabolic health, redox status, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in inactive overweight and obese women. Forty-nine inactive female participants with overweight and obesity (age: 36.4 ± 4.4 years; BMI: 29.1 ± 2.9 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to either a control (C, n = 21) or a training group (TR, n = 28). TR followed a 20-week supervised, progressive, time-efficient (3 days/week; 6-15 min net exercise time) program implementing loaded fundamental movement patterns with prescribed work-to-rest time intervals (20-40 s, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1) in a circuit fashion (2-3 rounds). Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured at baseline and post-training as secondary outcomes of a larger randomized controlled trial. At post-intervention, TR demonstrated favorable changes in resting heart rate (-7%, p = 0.043), high-density lipoprotein (+18.1%, p = 0.029), atherogenic index (-17%, p = 0.045), mean arterial pressure (-4.5%, p = 0.03), waist circumference (-6.2%, p = 0.005), waist-to-hip ratio (-4.6%; p = 0.015), metabolic syndrome severity score (-222%, p = 0.024), full 30-year CVD risk (-15.8%, p = 0.002) and hard 30-year CVD risk (-17.6%, p = 0.01), vascular age (-7.8%, p = 0.002), protein carbonyls (-45.7%, p = 0.001), catalase activity (+15.2%, p = 0.023), and total antioxidant capacity (+11.4%, p = 0.002) relative to C. Additionally, TR induced beneficial changes in fasting glucose (-3.4%, p = 0.002), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (-15.7%, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (-5.6%, p < 0.001), reduced glutathione (+39.8%, p < 0.001), 10-year CVD risk (-17.4%, p = 0.011), and total bilirubin (-21.7%, p < 0.001) compared to baseline. These results suggest that hybrid-type neuromuscular training may improve aspects of cardiometabolic health and antioxidant status in inactive overweight and obese women providing a time-efficient (~100 min/week) exercise approach in a real-world gym setting.

Causes and Consequences of Interindividual Response Variability: A Call to Apply a More Rigorous Research Design in Acute Exercise-Cognition Studies

The different responses of humans to an apparently equivalent stimulus are called interindividual response variability. This phenomenon has gained more and more attention in research in recent years. The research field of exercise-cognition has also taken up this topic, as shown by a growing number of studies published in the past decade. In this perspective article, we aim to prompt the progress of this research field by (i) discussing the causes and consequences of interindividual variability, (ii) critically examining published studies that have investigated interindividual variability of neurocognitive outcome parameters in response to acute physical exercises, and (iii) providing recommendations for future studies, based on our critical examination. The provided recommendations, which advocate for a more rigorous study design, are intended to help researchers in the field to design studies allowing them to draw robust conclusions. This, in turn, is very likely to foster the development of this research field and the practical application of the findings.