Comparative study of high intensity interval training vs high intensity circuit training on, agility, speed, strength, and cardiopulmonary endurance in aspiring state level cricket players

Cricket is a sport played in three different game formats all of which involve players participating in batting, bowling and fielding. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of interval training, a cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods, until too exhausted to continue. Circuit training is a type of training that work on body conditioning by developing strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination all in one workout.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect between High Intensity Interval Training and High Intensity Circuit Training on Agility, speed, strength and Cardiopulmonary endurance in aspiring state level cricket players.

The study was conducted on aspiring state level cricket players from the Gulia Cricket Academy, Badsa, Jhajjar. It was a prospective comparative experimental design and convenient random sampling was done. It was a 4 weeks study. A total number of 40 subjects were divided into two groups, Group A – HIIT (n=20) Group -B HICT (n=20).

Agility T test, 50meter Dash test, vertical jump test and 1RM Chest Press test, and Harvard Step Test for Agility, speed, strength and cardiopulmonary endurance respectively and data were taken at baseline (before beginning the treatment), and at the end of 2nd and 4th week treatment.

Repeated Measure ANOVA revealed that although High intensity interval training and high intensity circuit training group improved significantly at the end of 4th week. High intensity interval training brought better results in speed, but circuit training group brought better results compared with high intensity interval training in agility, strength upper limb, strength lower limb and cardiopulmonary endurance with respect to agility of subjects.

The result suggests that HIIT and HICT both are effective to improve agility, speed, strength and cardiopulmonary endurance but HIIT is more effective on speed and HICT on agility, strength, and cardiopulmonary endurance respectively.