The effect of a high-intensity interval training program on combat soldiers fitness

Introduction: Running helps maintain aerobic and anaerobic fitness and normal body weight in combat fighters. However, alternative training methods are necessary to maintain combat fitness when conditions do not allow running, be it service-related or, recently, coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related limitations. This prospective interventional, unblinded, nonrandomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a high-intensity interval training program that excluded prolonged running in maintaining physical fitness and bodyweight. Summary of facts and results: The study included 60 compulsory service male soldiers, aged 20.45 ± 0.48 years, divided into equal matched intervention and control groups. The three weekly workouts in the control group comprised 5–8 km running. The intervention group underwent three weekly workouts that included agility and strength training at short, intense intervals with brief recovery times between sets. The groups were compared before and after six weeks of training. At the start and end of the six-week program, the groups were similar at a significance level of P < 0.05 for bodyweight, body fat and muscle percent, background characteristics, Army Fitness Test (3-km running, pull-ups, squats, dips), agility, and maximal oxygen consumption. Conclusion: Our findings showed that the intervention training program was as effective as the standard running program in maintaining the participants aerobic and anaerobic fitness and normal bodyweight. The suggested high-intensity interval training program could be a viable fitness strategy when running is not possible in combat soldiers and civilians alike.