Whole-body cryotherapy does not augment adaptations to high-intensity interval training

James R Broatch (1, 2) , Mathilde Poignard (3, 4) , Christophe Hausswirth (5) , David Bishop (1, 6) , François Bieuzen (7)

1 Institute for Health and Sport [Melbourne, VIC, Australie]
2 Australian Institute of Sport
3 SEP (EA7370) - French Institute of Sport (INSEP), Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA7370)
4 FFT - Fédération Française de Tennis
5 LAMHESS - Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé
6 EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY
7 Institut National du Sport du Québec, Montréal, QC, Cana

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regular post-exercise whole-body cryotherapy (WBc) on physiological and performance adaptations to high-intensity interval training (Hit). in a two-group parallel design, twenty-two well-trained males performed four weeks of cycling HIT, with each session immediately followed by 3 min of WBC (−110 °C) or a passive control (CON). To assess the effects of WBC on the adaptive response to HIT, participants performed the following cycling tests before and after the training period; a graded exercise test (GXT), a time-to-exhaustion test (T max), a 20-km time trial (20 tt), and a 120-min submaximal test (SM 120). Blood samples were taken before and after training to measure changes in basal adrenal hormones (adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol). Sleep patterns were also assessed during training via wrist actigraphy. As compared with CON, the administration of WBC after each training session during four weeks of HIT had no effect on peak oxygen uptake (Vo 2peak) and peak aerobic power (P peak) achieved during the GXT, T max duration and work performed (W Tmax), 20 tt performance, substrate oxidation during the SM 120 , basal adrenaline/ noradrenaline/cortisol concentrations, or sleep patterns (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that regular post-exercise WBC is not an effective strategy to augment training-induced aerobic adaptations to four weeks of HIT.

Mots clés: Cryotherapy; High-intensity interval training; Whole-body cryotherapy; performance

Domaines: Sport; Physiologie du sport

James R Broatch, Mathilde Poignard, Christophe Hausswirth, David Bishop, François Bieuzen. Whole-body cryotherapy does not augment adaptations to high-intensity interval training. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9 (1), ⟨10.1038/s41598-019-48518-1⟩. ⟨hal-02556828⟩