Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026

A Real-World High-Intensity Interval Training Protocol for Cardiorespiratory Fitness Improvement
Published on: February 22, 2022
Effects of a Brief Physical Activity Program on Young Students' Physical Fitness
Rebecca M Hayes1, Lauren M Thompson2, Todd Gress2
1Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA hayes79@marshall.edu.
Background:
Our objective was to test whether brief daily activity could increase young students' physical fitness and compare different forms of intervention delivery.
Methods:
Two intervention groups were instructed to increase children's activity by 6 minutes daily. The principal was responsible for the intervention in the first group while classroom teachers were responsible in the second. The third group was a control. Success was defined by changes in student fitness.
Results:
The principal-led group had a significant increase in the number of 75-foot laps completed after intervention (+0.61 laps) and a significant decrease in after-exercise heart rate (-37.4 beats per minute) as compared with the control group. The teacher-led group experienced no change in either outcome.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate that a 6-minute increase in activity can produce a significant improvement in student fitness. Administrative support of school-based interventions can have a positive impact on program completion.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...

