The Effects of High Intensity Circuit Training in Nature Vs. Indoor on Exercise Performance, and Wellbeing

NCT05090501 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: HICT in nature and indoor
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 104
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Exercising in a nature setting has been credited with benefits for health and well-being, more so than exercising indoors. Additionally, motoric performance in the same exercise (e.g., running speed, more strenuous physical activity) has been reported in some studies to be greater if practiced outdoors, in a nature setting. The explanation may be in the inherent variability of natural landscapes, the textures, elevations, obstacles and objects which are not found in standard built and indoor settings. Indoor settings are characterized by safe, organized, patterned textures and objects created for specific ends, which inhibit variability in physical and physiological behavior. Variability in the environment turns into variability in body systems, which benefits health, well-being, and skill acquisition. Variability in behavior depends also on the task. Running or walking is essentially a journey throughout the environment in which interaction with obstacles, puddles, and other runners is part of the variability of the activity. On the other hand, physical activity such as HICT is done in a small area, and is a scripted, prescribed activity (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups), which lowers the amount of variability in behavior. The aim of this trial is to test if a low variability activity shows differences in performance, wellbeing, and behavior measures according to the amount of variability in the environment. In this trial the participants will engage in two high intensity circuit training (HICT) interventions - one in an indoor setting, and another in a nature setting. The HICT intervention includes 12 calisthenic exercises, and will be performed at a self-selected intensity by the participants. Each exercise will be performed during one minute, followed by 30 seconds of rest where the participants will be instructed what the next exercise will be. Before exercising, the participants put a heart rate monitor and two inertial measurement units (IMUs) on the right arm and leg, according to the correct usage guidelines, and rate their positive affect, arousal, and perceived exertion. Immediately after exercising, they rate the same measures again. Research Hypotheses: Greater movement variability, heart rate variability, performance, wellbeing, and arousal during HICT in nature setting than indoor setting.

Conditions

Green Exercise; Indoor Exercise

Keywords

Nature-based exercise; Indoor exercise; High Intensity Circuit Training; Performance; Movement Variability; Affect; Perceived exertion; Heart Rate Variability; Arousal

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Heart Rate Variability

  Heart Rate Variability is the variation in R-R intervals (time between systolic injections) of the heart. Heart bands will be used to collect the base R-R intervals

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

• Movement Variability

  changes in acceleration of body segments can be seen as a direct measure of body movement adaptation to environmental constraints.

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Exercise performance

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

• Change score of the Feeling Scale

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

• Change score of the Rating of Perceived Exertion

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

• Change Score in the Trail Making Test

  through study completion, an average of 10 minutes

Study Arms (2)

Green

EXPERIMENTAL

Green exercise participants will exercise in the nature-based condition.

Behavioral: High Intensity Circuit Training

Indoor

EXPERIMENTAL

Indoor participants will exercise in the indoor condition.

Behavioral: High Intensity Circuit Training

Interventions

High Intensity Circuit Training BEHAVIORAL

The participants will execute a 12-exercise High Intensity Circuit Training protocol. Each exercise will have an active part taking 30 seconds, in which exercisers are encouraged to do as many repetitions as possible, and a resting part taking 10 seconds in which the participants rest and are informed of the next exercise. Before and after the 12-exercise routine, the participants rate their affect, arousal and perceived exertion, while using a heart rate monitor and two IMU sensors on their arms and legs.

Green; Indoor

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Fit for engaging in intense physical activity according to a physician.

You may not qualify if:

• Participating in another research project at the same time.
• Unable to perform the proposed exercises due to physical impairment.
• Taking medication or being under medical treatment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Faculdade de Motricidade Humana: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculdade de Motricidade Humana

Cruz Quebrada, Oeiras, 1499-002, Portugal

Location

Related Publications (22)

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  BACKGROUND

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• Brito H, Lopes H, Vaz de Carvalho M, Carrilho D, Carvalho A, Araujo D. The effects of nature-based vs. indoor settings on the adaptability, performance and affect of calisthenics exercisers. A registered report. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2024 Jul;73:102626. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102626. Epub 2024 Mar 15.

  PMID: 38492765 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Henrique Brito, MSc

  Faculdade de Motricidade Humana

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Masking Details: Participants will not be informed of the opposite group details, and it is not expected that they meet other participants during the meeting or intervention periods.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Researcher

Model Details: This trial is designed as a randomised, controlled, participant blinded, superiority trial with two groups. Randomization will be performed as block randomization with a 1:1 allocation.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2021
• First Posted: October 22, 2021
• Study Start: October 15, 2022
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2023
• Study Completion: January 20, 2024
• Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Data available indefinitely.
• Access Criteria: Open access

Locations

PT (1)