Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Publish Ahead of Print

DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002073

Acute responses to the 7 Minute Workout

Running head: 7 minute workout

Michelle Riegler, Gavin Stotz, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, Christian K. Munoz, Jamie Lewis, Sebastian
Ring, Todd A. Astorino

Corresponding author: Todd Anthony Astorino, Ph.D

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Professor, Department of Kinesiology

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California State University, San Marcos

333. S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, UNIV 320

San Marcos, CA 92096-0001

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Phone: (760) 750-7351

Fax: (760) 750-3237

Email: astorino@csusm.edu
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Department of Kinesiology, CSUSan Marcos, San Marcos, CA USA

riegl001@cougars.csusm.edu; stotz002@cougars.csusm.edu; fitzg020@cougars.csusm.edu;
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munoz045@cougars.csusm.edu; lewis102@cougars.csusm.edu; sabbypants777@yahoo.com;

astorino@csusm.edu
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4 ABSTRACT
5 A popular smartphone application called the 7 Minute Workout (7Min) claims to be

6 scientifically proven to promote weight loss and improve cardiovascular function. The

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7 application has 10 million downloads and has been reviewed by 350,000 users. However,

8 changes in metabolic and perceptual variables in response to 7Min are unknown. Our study

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9 compared acute responses between 7Min and a time-matched session of cycling-based high-

10 intensity interval exercise (HIIE). Fourteen active men and women (age and VO2max = 25.4

11 8.3 yr and 40.5 6.4 mL/kg/min) initially underwent VO2max testing. During two subsequent
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12 sessions separated by > 48 h, they completed 7Min or HIIE. During exercise, oxygen uptake

13 (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration (BLa), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE)

14 were measured. Peak VO2 was higher (p < 0.001) in HIIE versus 7Min, and HIIE yielded greater
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15 (p < 0.001) mean VO2 (1.83 0.41 L/min vs. 1.44 0.32 L/min) and HR (159.0 10.7 b/min vs.

16 140.7 18.3 b/min, p < 0.001) versus 7Min. Blood lactate concentration increased (p < 0.001)
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17 during exercise but was similar between bouts (p = 0.07). RPE was higher (p = 0.008) in

18 response to HIIE versus 7Min. Although 7Min yields lower peak VO2 and HR than HIIE, it is
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19 characterized by bursts approaching 90 %HRmax and causes significant BLa accumulation,

20 representing vigorous exercise. Nevertheless, 7Min is on the low end of the intensity spectrum,

21 which questions whether it represents true HIIE and will confer similar benefits if performed

22 long-term.

23 Key words: interval training; intense exercise; oxygen uptake; blood lactate concentration; body

24 weight exercises

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26 INTRODUCTION
27 Current physical activity guidelines in adults recommend completion of 150 min/week of

28 moderate intensity continuous training (MICT), or 75 min/week of vigorous activity (15).

29 Nevertheless, the frequency of regular participation in physical activity is low (9) which reduces

30 cardiorespiratory fitness as determined by maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). This low fitness

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31 level has implications for morbidity and mortality, as cross sectional studies (21, 26) show that

32 VO2max is related to health status and risk of cardiac events. One of the most commonly cited

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33 barriers to regular exercise participation is lack of time (34) which has caused fitness and health

34 professionals to explore alternative exercise approaches to MICT.

35 High intensity interval training (HIIT) is characterized by brief, intense bursts of activity at

near-maximal workloads separated by recovery. A more intense modality of HIIT is sprint

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37 interval training (SIT) which is performed at supramaximal intensities and has lower training

38 volume than HIIT. Typically, HIIT and SIT require lower exercise time than MICT which

39 makes them more time-efficient. Many studies conducted in healthy adults show that chronic
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40 HIIT and SIT lead to similar (8, 13) and in some cases superior adaptations (27) compared to

41 MICT. A review of 28 studies comprising 723 participants (25) demonstrated greater increases
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42 in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in response to HIIT versus MICT in healthy adults.

43 Consequently, there is growing interest in the utility of HIIT as a countermeasure to the low
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44 frequency of physical activity widely seen in most adults.

45 However, HIIT as described above is typically performed in a laboratory setting requiring use

46 of cycle ergometers and motor-driven treadmills which are operated by trained personnel. In

47 addition, the laboratory personnel construct all exercise protocols and provide substantial support

48 and motivation to the participant, which reduces the real-world application of these particular

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49 HIIT regimes outside the laboratory setting. Nevertheless, HIIT has been identified as one of the

50 top trends in health and fitness (33) despite only few studies exploring its efficacy and

51 practicality when performed outside of a laboratory. In overweight, sedentary adults, no change

52 in VO2max was shown in response to 12 wk of HIIT which was performed in a group setting at a

53 park (22). The lack of changes may be due to the low participant adherence to HIIT (59 75 %).

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54 In contrast, significant increases in VO2max and insulin sensitivity as well as improved blood

55 lipid profiles were shown in response to 10 wk of group-based, instructor-led HIIT cycling (30).

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56 Despite the significant health-related adaptations demonstrated in this study, HIIT was

57 supervised by a trained instructor, and participants had the support of others who were training at

58 the gym.

These equivocal data suggest that more convenient and easily accessible forms of high
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60 intensity interval exercise (HIIE) need to be developed, especially those performed without

61 supervision and using modern technology such as various web-based applications. In fact, Gray

62 et al. (18) encouraged scientists to test the utility of HIIE outside of a lab or gym to places
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63 including the home. One workout that has become widely popular is the 7 Minute Workout

64 (7Min). This workout is designed to mirror a typical HIIE session in that it uses short bouts of
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65 all-out exercise interspersed with brief recovery periods. However, it differs versus traditional

66 HIIE as it uses various body weight exercises rather than cycling, and there is no need for any
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67 specialized equipment. One study in active men and women (29) showed that 24 sessions of

68 7Min led to significant increases in muscle endurance, but no changes in VO2max or body fat

69 were demonstrated. Another study requiring healthy individuals to complete 7Min daily for 6

70 wk showed small reductions in body fat and waist circumference (23). However, no studies have

71 examined the intensity of 7Min or compared it to any other HIIE regimes. Without empirical

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72 data, it is misleading to claim that their exercise is scientifically proven. Researching the

73 intensity of this regime is important, because if 7Min is shown to elicit intensities associated with

74 HIIE, it can potentially provide clients a true HIIE-based workout in the comfort of their home

75 and serve as a widely-accessible alternative to traditional MICT or HIIE. It is evident that

76 adaptation to exercise training is the accumulated effect of specific transcriptional and

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77 translational micro-adaptations occurring after each exercise bout (12), and the magnitude of

78 the stimulus received from acute bouts may partially underlie individual variation in long-term

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79 training responses.

80 The aim of the present study was to compare acute physiological and perceptual responses

81 between a single session of cycling-based high intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and 7Min. We

hypothesized that HIIE would elicit higher heart rate (HR) and VO2 responses versus 7Min.
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84 METHODS

85 Experimental Approach to the Problem: This study used a randomized, within-subjects

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86 crossover design. All sessions were held between 0930 1230 and were preceded by 24 h

87 abstention from physical activity and no food for 3 h. Participants were instructed to come to the
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88 lab hydrated and well-rested, which were confirmed with a written log. Initially, VO2max was

89 measured to determine cardiorespiratory fitness and peak power output (PPO). At the same time
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90 of day at least 48 h later, participants completed 7Min or HIIE and then returned at least 48 h

91 later to complete the other bout. During exercise, HR, VO2, blood lactate concentration (BLa),

92 and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured. All bouts were completed within a 2 wk

93 period.

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94 Subjects: Habitually active individuals (7 men and 7 women) between the ages of 19 and 45 yr

95 participated in this study. They regularly completed resistance training, non-competitive sport,

96 CrossFit, surfing, and aerobic exercise, but none was training for a particular sport. Their

97 physical characteristics are shown in Table 1. Participants were not pregnant, did not smoke, or

98 have knee or joint ailments or any pre-existing health conditions, which were confirmed through

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99 completion of a health-history questionnaire, which may preclude their participation. Participants

100 provided written informed consent, and all study procedures were approved by the University

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101 Institutional Review Board.

102 Please place table 1 here

103 Procedures: Initially, height (cm) and body mass (kg) were measured using a laboratory scale

and stadiometer. Subsequently, participants were prepared for ramp-based incremental exercise
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105 on an electrically-braked cycle ergometer (Velotron Dynafit Pro, RacerMate Inc., Seattle, WA)

106 to measure VO2max and PPO. Exercise began with a 2 min warm up at 40 60 W followed by

107 20 - 30 W/min increases in work rate until volitional exhaustion was attained (pedal cadence <
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108 50 rev/min). VO2max was identified as the mean value of the last two data points, and its

109 attainment was confirmed using two of the following three criteria: respiratory exchange ratio >
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110 1.10, HR within 10 b/min of 220 age, and a plateau in VO2 (1). All participants met at least

111 two of these criteria. During exercise, pulmonary gas exchange data were obtained every 15 s
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112 using a metabolic cart (ParvoMedics True One, Sandy, UT), which was calibrated pre-exercise

113 according to the manufacturer. Participants wore noseclips and breathed through a three-way

114 valve.

115 The 7 Minute workout and high intensity interval exercise: Both protocols were preceded by a 5

116 min warm-up at 20 %PPO. The 7Min workout consisted of twelve 30 s bouts consisting of these

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117 exercises in the following order: jumping jacks, wall sit, push-ups, abdominal crunches, step-up

118 onto chair, squats, triceps dips on chair, planks, high knees, lunges, push-up with rotation, and

119 side planks. Participants were instructed to perform as many repetitions as possible during each

120 30 s bout. Each bout was followed by 10 s of passive recovery during which participants quickly

121 changed body position to prepare for the subsequent bout. During HIIE, participants cycled for 7

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122 min at a self-selected cadence between 60 90 rev/min. Duration of this HIIE bout was matched

123 to 7Min, and both protocols involved 6 min of work. During HIIE, twelve 30 s bouts at 70

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124 %PPO were completed, with each bout separated by a 10 s active recovery at 20 %PPO.

125 Preliminary testing determined that this was the highest intensity that could be tolerated by non-

126 athletic individuals with such brief recovery periods. This protocol elicits an intensity of

approximately 80 90 %HRmax, similar to that used in previous training studies (2, 20)
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128 showing that HIIT, when performed at this intensity and with slightly higher volume, led to

129 significant increases in VO2max.

130 During exercise, oxygen uptake and HR (Polar, Woodbury, NY) were continuously measured
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131 and expressed every 15 s. Oxygen uptake was obtained following identical procedures used in

132 VO2max testing. Mean HR and VO2 values were averaged from the two data points obtained
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133 during each exercise bout and the one proceeding it in recovery. Blood lactate concentration was

134 obtained pre-exercise with the participant seated in a chair, and at 33 % (immediately after bout
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135 4) and 66 % of bout duration (immediately after bout 8) and 3 min post-exercise. A small amount

136 of blood (total volume = 20 L) was taken from each subject's fingertip using a lancet (Owen

137 Mumford, Inc., Marietta, GA), and a portable monitor (Lactate Plus, Nova Biomedical,

138 Waltham, MA) was used to determine BLa. In addition, RPE (6) was taken at the same time as

139 BLa. The meaning of the CR-10 scale was communicated by instructing participants to report

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140 perceptions of their exertion in terms of their breathing, heart rate, and level of fatigue. For this

141 scale, a score of 1 represents no exertion and a score of 10 represents maximal exertion.

142 Statistical analyses: Data are expressed as mean standard deviation (SD) and were analyzed

143 using SPSS Version 20.0 (Chicago, IL). The Shapiro-Wilks test was used to assess normality.

144 Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to compare changes in dependent variables

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145 across time (4 and 12 levels) and protocol (HIIE vs. 7Min). If a significant F ratio was obtained,

146 Tukeys post hoc test was used to identify differences between means. Dependent t-test was

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147 used to examine differences in calorie expenditure and mean/peak HR and VO2 between

148 protocols. Cohens d was used as an estimate of effect size. Our sample size is similar to

149 previous studies comparing physiological responses between various HIIE protocols (14, 16, 36),

and G Power (11) showed that a sample size equal to eight was adequate to detect a 0.1 L/min
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151 difference in oxygen uptake between bouts. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

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153 RESULTS
154
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155 Change in VO2 and calorie expenditure: Data in Figure 1a show that VO2 increased during

156 exercise (p < 0.001) and that there was a time X protocol interaction (p < 0.001). Post hoc
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157 analyses showed that VO2 was significantly higher in response to HIIE versus 7Min at all time
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158 points (Cohens d ranging from 0.46 2.31). VO2 during HIIE consistently increased from bout

159 1 (1.52 0.32 L/min) to bout 8 (2.38 0.48 L/min) and increased further to bout 11 when it

160 peaked at 2.49 0.47 L/min, equal to 83 %VO2max. VO2 for 7Min varied based on the exercise

161 performed, as it increased from bout 1 to bout 2 (0.92 0.19 to 1.27 0.31 L/min, jumping jacks

162 to wall sit), then decreased in response to bout 3 (1.19 0.23 L/min, push ups). Subsequently,

163 VO2 continued to rise until bout 7 (2.06 0.44 L/min, triceps dips). In bout 8 (1.70 0.36

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164 L/min, planks), it was reduced, yet increased again in the latter stages of 7Min to a peak value

165 equal to 73 %VO2max in response to bout 10 (2.18 0.48 L/min, lunges). Mean (1.49 0.32

166 L/min vs. 1.83 0.41 L/min, p < 0.001, d = 0.96) and peak VO2 (2.45 0.50 L/min vs. 2.73

167 0.54 L/min, p = 0.001, d = 0.60) was lower in 7Min compared to HIIE. Calorie expenditure was

168 lower (p = 0.002, d = 0.80) during 7Min (76.2 18.0 kcal, range = 43 121 kcal) than HIIE

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169 (89.0 17.6 kcal, range = 60 113 kcal).

170 Please place Figure 1 here

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172 Change in heart rate and rating of perceived exertion: HR gradually increased (p < 0.001)

173 during 7Min and HIIE, but there was no time X protocol interaction (p = 0.09) (Figure 1b).

174 During 7Min, HR increased from bout 1 (jumping jacks, 119.0 9.6 b/min) to bout 2 (wall sit,
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175 132.4 13.8 b/min) after which it was sustained until bout 5 (step-up onto chair, 142.9 16.9

176 b/min). In response to bout 6 (squats, 149.0 23.6 b/min), HR further increased but was

177 maintained up to bout 9 (high knees, 165.3 17.4 b/min) after which it continued to increase

178 after bout 11 (push-up with rotation, 164.6 17.1 b/min). During HIIE, HR steadily increased
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179 throughout exercise from bout 1 (134.6 15.2 b/min) to bout 12 where it peaked at 170.4 18.6
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180 b/min which is equivalent to 93 %HRmax. Peak HR was lower (p = 0.015, d = 0.40) during

181 7Min (168.6 17.0 b/min) compared to HIIE (175.3 16.5 b/min). Average HR was higher in
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182 response to HIIE versus 7Min (159.0 10.7 b/min vs. 140.7 18.3 b/min, p < 0.001, d = 0.85).

183 Similar to HR, RPE increased during exercise (p < 0.001) and there was a time X protocol

184 interaction (p = 0.008) (Figure 1c). HIIE demonstrated higher RPE than 7Min at bout 4 (3.9

185 0.8 vs. 3.1 0.9, d = 0.98) as well as at end-exercise (6.0 1.1 vs. 5.0 0.9, d = 1.03).

186

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187 Change in blood lactate concentration: Baseline values of BLa were similar between HIIE (1.4

188 0.4 mM) and 7Min (1.1 0.3 mM). Blood lactate concentration increased during exercise (p <

189 0.001) but there was no time X protocol interaction (p = 0.07), although BLa values acquired at

190 bout 8 and post-exercise were higher in 7Min versus HIIE. These data are shown in Figure 2.

191 Please place Figure 2 here

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192
193 DISCUSSION
194
195 The aim of our study was to compare the acute responses of a lab-based HIIE regime to a

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196 whole-body 7 minute workout which can be performed at home without specialized equipment

197 or close supervision. In response to HIIE, participants revealed significantly higher VO2,

198 perceived exertion, and calorie expenditure compared to 7Min, but changes in BLa were similar.
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199 The peak HR and VO2 of 7Min were equal to 90 %HRmax and 81 %VO2max, respectively,

200 which would require bursts of relatively intense exercise similar to that found in HIIE.

201 Nevertheless, the greater mean and peak VO2, HR, and RPE in HIIE suggests a greater acute

202 cardiorespiratory and metabolic stimulus than 7Min, which places 7Min on the lower end of the
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203 intensity spectrum typically associated with MICT.

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204 The 7 min HIIE bout used in the present study was completed at 70 %PPO, which is similar

205 to work rates used in previous studies employing HIIT to improve VO2max in sedentary
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206 populations (2, 19). This bout elicited peak HR and VO2 equivalent to 93 %HRmax and 91

207 %VO2max, respectively, as well as significant accumulation of BLa. Similar near-maximal

208 intensities were revealed in a study by Skelly et al. (32), in which men completed ten bouts of

209 HIIE at workload equal to 90 % HRmax. However, the absolute oxygen uptake of our protocols

210 (1.83 L/min and 1.49 L/min) is lower than that reported by Skelly et al. (32), which is attributed

211 to the lower duration and volume of exercise completed in the current study as well as their use

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212 of exclusively men as participants who were heavier (mass = 91 kg) and fitter (VO2max = 46

213 mL/kg/min). Nevertheless, a similar relative cardiorespiratory strain (peak HR ~ 95 %HRmax)

214 was demonstrated in young men and women performing eight 1 min HIIE bouts at 85 %PPO

215 separated by 1 min recovery (36). Therefore, the 7 min bout of cycling as used in the present

216 study represents a legitimate form of HIIE.

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217 Our data show 10 40 % higher VO2 throughout HIIE versus 7Min (Figure 1a) as well as

218 significantly higher mean and peak VO2. Despite the lower mean and peak VO2 response

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219 observed in 7Min compared to HIIE, it is characterized by frequent bursts of activity requiring

220 near-maximal effort. Nevertheless, the mean HR of 7Min was equal to 73 %HRmax which is

221 classified as moderate exercise according to the ACSM (15). In fact, the mean HR of 7Min is

similar to the intensity seen with 50 min of MICT equal to 70 %HRmax (32). In contrast, the
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223 mean HR value characteristic of HIIE (159 b/min) was similar to that reported in men

224 completing the 4 X 4 or 16 X 1 HIIE bouts (35), and approximately 20 b/min higher than that

225 elicited from 7Min. Together, these findings suggest that 7Min as currently developed is not a
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226 suitable form of HIIE.

227 Some data report that chronic whole-body HIIT may result in significant improvements in
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228 health and fitness. In response to 6 wk of multimodal circuit HIIT training including high-load

229 strength training, significant increases in VO2max, anaerobic power, and anaerobic threshold
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230 were demonstrated which are similar in magnitude to adaptations accrued from rowing-based

231 HIIT (7). Nevertheless, multimodal training led to increased strength which was not observed in

232 response to rowing. However, this multimodal regime was 60 min in duration which makes it

233 impractical for most exercisers. In recreationally active women (VO2max = 43.0 mL/kg/min), 4

234 wk of extremely low-volume whole-body aerobic-resistance training consisting of burpees,

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235 jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and squat thrusts led to significant increases in VO2max as

236 well as muscle endurance (24). However, this study demonstrated higher HR and RPE than

237 found in the current study (Figure 1) which may elicit superior adaptation compared to 7Min,

238 which presents lower cardiorespiratory and perceptual strain. These enhancements in physical

239 fitness are impressive considering that their regime only required 4 min of training time per day.

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240 Moreover, the improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness is important considering that a 1 MET

241 increase in VO2max is associated with a 13 15 % lower risk of all-cause mortality and

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242 cardiovascular event (21). However, the utility of this particular regime for inactive persons is

243 unknown, especially considering that mean HR was ~ 90 %HRmax, and RPE peaked at 17.3

244 1.4 on the Borg 6 20 scale (5).

An interesting finding of the present study is the different VO2 and HR response observed
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246 during various exercises comprising 7Min (Figure 1a and 1b). Heart rate and VO2 were highest

247 when dynamic lower body exercise including high knees, lunges, step-ups onto a chair, and

248 squats were performed; whereas, lower VO2 and HR were evident when participants completed
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249 small muscle mass exercise (triceps dip), passive exercise (wall sit), or were supine as in the case

250 of planks and abdominal crunches. Compared to more dynamic exercises, the wall sit and
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251 abdominal exercises are characterized by a lower force which is commensurate with a lower

252 metabolic Replacing these exercises with dynamic, multi-joint movements including burpees,
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253 deadlifts, and/or box jumps would further increase the muscle mass engaged and overall intensity

254 of this bout (24).

255 RPE was higher in response to HIIE despite no difference in BLa between protocols but

256 higher mean and peak HR versus 7Min. Our RPE values for 7Min at end-exercise (5.0 0.9,

257 hard) are similar to RPE (14.5 2.2 on the Borg (5) 6 20 scale, representing hard)

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258 exhibited in response to another form of HIIE, intense calisthenics (16). The 7Min protocol

259 requires activation of whole-body musculature which allows the force to be distributed across a

260 wider range of muscles compared to cycling, which is highly dependent on the knee extensors

261 and flexors and has been reported to elicit substantial pain (10). Consequently, the different

262 pattern of muscle mass used may have led to lower perceptions of exertion during 7Min than

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263 HIIE. In fact, most participants preferred 7Min versus HIIE and rated it as being easier. The

264 RPE and VO2 data support this claim.

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265 Blood lactate concentration increased in response to both HIIE and 7Min to values greater

266 than 4 mM, which is associated with the onset of the lactate threshold (17) and a transition to

267 higher intensity exercise. The slightly greater BLa values in 7Min versus HIIE may be caused

by the recruitment of more fast-twitch, non-oxidative muscle fibers in muscles of the trunk,
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269 upper body, and gluteals required to perform exercises including planks, push-ups, tricep dips,

270 lunges, and squats. Our BLa values are lower than those reported for Wingate-based sprint

271 interval training as well as repeated burpees (16). However, BLa values from 7Min are similar
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272 to those reported (~ 6.0 mM) in women performing 3 sets of 10 exercises of whole-body

273 resistance exercise (4). The activation of all fiber types in more areas of the body would elicit
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274 higher BLa than when primarily the leg muscles are activated (14).

275 Our data can only be applied to healthy active men and women, so dissimilar results may be
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276 found in sedentary individuals or those familiar with circuit training similar to 7Min. The HIIE

277 protocol used in the present study was completed at lower intensities than previously used (2, 3,

278 16), as we needed to select an intensity that elicited interval exercise, yet was not too rigorous for

279 our relatively non-athletic population to complete with such brief recovery between bouts.

280 However, its mean and peak HR response equal to 86 % and 93 %HRmax and substantial BLa

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281 accumulation would suggest that it represents a true form of HIIE. Moreover, we matched the

282 protocols for duration to ensure that any difference observed between HIIE and 7Min was not

283 due to greater training time. We advised participants to exercise maximally during 7Min, but it

284 was evident that during some exercises, deficits in strength and/or physical function led to a

285 lower number of repetitions performed and potentially lower HR and VO2 response. We

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286 recommend that home-based workouts such as 7Min introduce greater flexibility of individual

287 exercises to better apply to clients of diverse fitness and muscular function, which may allow

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288 individuals to attain various health-related benefits including enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness,

289 muscular endurance, or fat loss, as reported in recent studies (23, 29). Lastly, both bouts were

290 preceded by a brief warm-up which may not be feasible for home-based exercise.

Exercise duration is a key factor in adherence to exercise. In fact, the number one reason for
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292 not participating in physical activity is due to time constraints (34). Recent studies show that

293 chronic HIIT promotes improvements in VO2max (2, 7) insulin sensitivity (28), and fat loss (19)

294 and may require less time compared to prolonged MICT. Our data show that despite similar
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295 exercise duration, a single session of cycling-based HIIE elicits higher mean and peak HR and

296 VO2 as well as calorie expenditure versus the whole-body 7Min workout. Recent studies (23,
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297 29) show small increases in VO2max and muscle endurance and reductions in fat mass in

298 response to chronic exercise using 7Min, but these adaptations did not occur in all participants.
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299 Future research should compare long-term responses to this protocol, especially considering that

300 7Min is easily accessible and has the potential to increase both muscular fitness and VO2max

301 which are independently associated with health risk (26, 31).

302

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304 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

305 Our results are useful for fitness professionals who prescribe HIIE, which has infinite

306 permutations varying in intensity, duration, number of bouts, and recovery interval. Unlike most

307 HIIE protocols which are confined to a laboratory or a group exercise setting, 7Min is accessible

308 to a wide range of individuals who desire to exercise in their home. Our data show that 7Min

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309 elicits substantial changes in heart rate, oxygen uptake, and blood lactate concentration, but they

310 are of insufficient magnitude to represent high intensity interval exercise.

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311

312 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

313 The authors thank the participants for their dedication to this study. The results of the present

study do not constitute endorsement of the product by the authors or the NSCA.
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315
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344 11. Faul, F, Erdfelder, E, Lang, AG, and Buchner, A. G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power

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349

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350 13. Foster, C, Farland, CV, Guidotti, F, Harbin, M, Roberts, B, Schuette, J, Tuuri, A, Doberstein,

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374 predictor of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in healthy men and women: a meta-

375 analysis. J Amer Med Assoc 301(9): 2024-2035, 2009.

376 22. Lunt, H, Draper, N, Marshall, HC, Logan, FJ, Hamlin, MJ, Shearman, JP, Cotter, JD,

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396 affect the thermogenic response to adrenergic stimulation. J Physiol 588(15): 2961-2972,

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398 29. Schmidt, D, Anderson, K, Graff, M, and Strutz, V. The effect of high-intensity circuit

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401 Wagenmakers, AJ, and Shaw, CS. Low-volume high-intensity interval training in a gym setting

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417 physiological and perceptual responses between sprint interval training and high-intensity

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419

420 Figure Legends

421 1. Differences in a) oxygen uptake, b) heart rate, and c) rating of perceived exertion in response

422 to HIIT compared to 7Min (mean SD). * = p < 0.05 between HIIT and 7Min. The VO2 and HR

423 data presented for each bout represent the mean value of the two data points during exercise and

424 the value in recovery.

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425 2. Differences in blood lactate concentration in response to HIIT compared to 7Min (mean

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426 SD).

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Table 1: Participant physical characteristics (mean SD, N=14).

Parameter Mean SD Range

Age (yr) 25.4 8.3 19 - 44

Gender (men/women) NA 7/7

Mass (kg) 75.4 14.7 57.1 - 107.0

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Body mass index 26.1 4.0 20.5 34.7

(kg/m2)

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PA (h/wk) 6.6 2.2 3.0 10.0

VO2max (L/min) 3.01 0.71 1.78 4.29

VO2max 40.5 6.4 31.4 58.9

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(mL/kg/min)

PPO (W) 283.8 57.6 176.0 375.0

HRmax (b/min) 183.6 11.4 165.0 201.0

SD = standard deviation; PA = habitual physical activity; VO2max = maximal oxygen uptake;

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PPO = peak power output; HR = heart rate

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