High-Intensity Intermittent Training and Sport-Specific Performance in Youth Amateur Boxers

NCT07571070 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: TdeA-BOX-HIIT-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 9
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Boxing is an intermittent combat sport that requires repeated high-intensity actions, sustained punching output, and rapid post-exercise recovery. This single-arm field-based study will examine the effects of a nine-session high-intensity intermittent training program on sport-specific punching output, heart-rate responses, and accelerometer-derived movement responses in youth amateur boxers. Participants will complete a standardized boxing-specific test before and after the intervention. The primary outcome will be the total number of punches completed during the test. Secondary outcomes will include round-by-round punching output, heart rate immediately after the test, heart rate one minute after the test, one-minute heart-rate recovery, and the accelerometer-derived sum of absolute acceleration peaks recorded during each round. The study is designed to provide ecologically valid evidence on feasible monitoring strategies for training adaptation in amateur boxing.

Conditions

Athletic Performance; Exercise Training; Physical Fitness

Keywords

Youth athletes; Amateur boxing; High-intensity intermittent training; Punching output; Heart rate recovery

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in total punching output during the boxing-specific test

  Total number of punches completed across all active rounds of the standardized boxing-specific test. Punches will be counted during each active round and summed to obtain total punching output.

  Baseline and post-intervention, within 48-72 hours after the ninth training session

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in round-by-round punching output

  Baseline and post-intervention, within 48-72 hours after the ninth training session

• Change in heart rate immediately after the boxing-specific test

  Immediately after the test at baseline and immediately after the test post-intervention

• Change in heart rate one minute after the boxing-specific test

  One minute after the test at baseline and one minute after the test post-intervention

• Change in one-minute heart-rate recovery

  Baseline and post-intervention, within 48-72 hours after the ninth training session

• Change in accelerometer-derived sum of absolute acceleration peaks per round

  Baseline and post-intervention, within 48-72 hours after the ninth training session

Study Arms (1)

Experimental: High-Intensity Intermittent Boxing Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will complete a nine-session high-intensity intermittent boxing training intervention integrated into their regular training context. The intervention will include repeated high-intensity boxing-specific efforts with structured recovery periods, aiming to stimulate sport-specific punching output and post-exercise recovery capacity.

Behavioral: Nine-session high-intensity intermittent boxing training

Interventions

Nine-session high-intensity intermittent boxing training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention consists of nine supervised training sessions based on high-intensity intermittent boxing-specific exercises. Sessions will be conducted in a real-world amateur boxing training environment and will involve repeated high-intensity efforts, recovery intervals, and technical actions representative of boxing demands. The intervention is not pharmacological and does not involve a medical device.

Experimental: High-Intensity Intermittent Boxing Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Youth amateur boxers regularly enrolled in a supervised boxing training program.
• Age within the predefined youth/adolescent range established in the protocol.
• Regular attendance to boxing training before the beginning of the intervention.
• Ability to complete the standardized boxing-specific test at baseline and post-intervention.
• Medical, coaching, or institutional clearance to participate in regular boxing training.
• Written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian.
• Written or verbal assent from the athlete, according to institutional ethics requirements.

You may not qualify if:

• Current musculoskeletal injury or pain limiting boxing training or testing.
• Known cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, or metabolic condition contraindicating high-intensity exercise.
• Use of medication or substances that may substantially alter heart-rate response, unless medically authorized and documented.
• Inability to complete baseline or post-intervention testing.
• Participation in another structured training intervention likely to interfere with the study outcomes.
• Withdrawal of parental consent or participant assent at any point.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Federal University of Vicosa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tecnológico de Antioquia

Guarne, Antioquia, 054080, Colombia

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Rodrigues Maciel A, Herling Lambertucci R, Madureira Barbosa F, Fernandes Guerra RL. Proposal and reproducibility of a specific test for amateur boxing. Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology. 2023;23(4):8-15. doi:10.14589/ido.23.4.2.

  BACKGROUND

• Ghosh AK, Goswami A, Ahuja A. Heart rate & blood lactate response in amateur competitive boxing. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 1995;102:179-183.

  BACKGROUND

• Franchini E, Cormack S, Takito MY. Effects of high-intensity interval training on Olympic combat sports athletes' performance and physiological adaptation: a systematic review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(1):242-252. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002957.

  BACKGROUND

• Vasconcelos BB, Protzen GV, Galliano LM, Kirk C, Del Vecchio FB. Effects of high-intensity interval training in combat sports: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2020;34(3):888-900. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003255.

  BACKGROUND

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Masking is not feasible because participants and coaches are aware of the exercise training intervention. Outcome processing will follow predefined operational criteria to reduce analytical discretion.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: All participants will receive the same nine-session high-intensity intermittent boxing training intervention. Outcomes will be compared within participants from baseline to post-intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2026
• First Posted: May 6, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: February 8, 2026
• Study Completion: April 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CO (1)