https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14573?ref=simplavida.com
What do you think?
All roads lead to Rome ?
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Not surprising. I challenged the same notion (HIIT is inherently superior), and have empirical evidence proving the same to myself. Have shared my results on the forum.
Interesting study, but it appears to be focused on the general population rather than endurance athletes. Based on a quick scan, it looks like the subjects had VO2max in the low 20’s and an exercise durations of 1-2 hours per week. I’m not saying the study results wouldn’t hold true for a population of endurance athletes, but I don’t think you can make that assumption. The people in that study are operating nowhere near their genetic limits of VO2 uptake, certainly a much, much smaller percentage than a trained athlete.
For highly trained old farts still trying to hold onto their VO2max (often in the 50-70 ml/kg/min range), I wouldn’t assume they don’t need some intensity to “push all the buttons” to get/stay as close to their genetic limit as possible. Again, maybe that study does translate and intensity isn’t that valuable regardless of training history, but the populations are so different that I think it’s dangerous to assume one way or the other.
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