Mair Jacqueline L, Boreham Colin A, Ditroilo Massimiliano, McKeown David, Lowery Madeleine M, Caulfield Brian, De Vito Giuseppe
Institute for Sport & Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2014 Jan;34(1):10-7. doi: 10.1111/cpf.12056. Epub 2013 Jun 3.
The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of a low-volume, vigorous intensity bench stepping programme in sedentary middle-aged adults. Thirty-one healthy but sedentary adults (12 men; 55-64 years) took part in the study. Participants accumulated up to 9 min per day of stepping exercise on three days per week over the 4-week experimental period. Parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition and lower limb muscle strength were measured on three occasions: TS1 (baseline test), TS2 (following a 4-week control period) and TS3 (following the 4-week intervention). Data were analysed using a repeated-measures ANOVA. Adherence to the programme was excellent (96%). Relative to the insignificant changes following the control period, parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness were significantly improved following training. No alterations in body composition or lower limb muscle strength were detected. These results show that less than 30 min per week of bench step exercise, accumulated in short bouts throughout the day, can improve parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness after only 4 weeks in previously sedentary middle-aged adults. Due to its low-cost, time-efficient and discrete aspects, stepping exercise may have important implications for public health initiatives that promote physical activity in a population who commonly report 'lack of time' as a barrier to physical activity.
本研究的目的是调查低运动量、高强度的台阶练习计划对久坐不动的中年成年人的益处。31名健康但久坐不动的成年人（12名男性；年龄在55 - 64岁之间）参与了这项研究。在为期4周的实验期内，参与者每周有三天进行台阶练习，每天累计练习时间达9分钟。在三个时间点测量了心肺适能、身体成分和下肢肌肉力量参数：TS1（基线测试）、TS2（4周对照期后）和TS3（4周干预后）。数据采用重复测量方差分析进行分析。该计划的依从性极佳（96%）。相对于对照期后的无显著变化，训练后心肺适能参数有显著改善。未检测到身体成分或下肢肌肉力量有改变。这些结果表明，对于之前久坐不动的中年成年人，每周少于30分钟的台阶练习，以全天短时间累积的方式进行，仅4周后就能改善心肺适能参数。由于其低成本、省时且分散的特点，台阶练习可能对那些普遍将“缺乏时间”作为体育活动障碍的人群中促进体育活动的公共卫生倡议具有重要意义。
