The Claim

Eight weeks of high-intensity interval training on a rowing ergometer, performed 3 sessions per week with 5-7 sets of 1.5 minutes at 85-95% maximal aerobic power, produces large, significant improvements in aerobic capacity in healthy young men, including a 17% increase in test time, 12-14% increase in maximal aerobic power, and 19-23% increase in anaerobic threshold power.

Source: Effects of an 8-week high intensity interval training (HIIT) and ashwagandha supplementation on aerobic capacity, muscle oxygenation and haematological parameters in healthy men

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
61score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

If healthy young men do intense rowing workouts for 8 weeks (about 2 months), doing short 1.5-minute bursts at very high intensity 3 times per week, they can significantly boost their aerobic fitness - improving their exercise endurance by about 17% and their peak power output by 12-23%.

See the scientific wording

Eight weeks of high-intensity interval training on a rowing ergometer (3 sessions/week, 5-7 sets of 1.5 minutes at 85-95% maximal aerobic power) produces large, significant improvements in aerobic capacity in healthy young men, including a 17% increase in test time, 12-14% increase in maximal aerobic power, and 19-23% increase in anaerobic threshold power.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Effects of an 8-week high intensity interval training (HIIT) and ashwagandha supplementation on aerobic capacity, muscle oxygenation and haematological parameters in healthy men

    The study used the exact same training program as the claim describes and found that it did produce large improvements in aerobic capacity - exactly what the claim says would happen. Both groups who did the training showed big gains in test time, max power, and anaerobic threshold.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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