Effectiveness of a 5-week high-intensity interval training on endurance capacities and BMI reduction among overweight female student-athletes

Background and Study Aim. Overweight among student-athletes can limit performance, endurance, and overall health. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient approach that has been shown to improve fitness and body composition. This study examined the effectiveness of a 5-week HIIT program in enhancing endurance capacities and reducing body mass index (BMI) among overweight female student-athletes. Materials and Methods. A total of 30 participants (BMI ≥ 25), aged 18–21 years (M = 19.70, SD = 0.95), were randomly assigned to a training group (n = 15), which completed thrice-weekly training sessions, or to a control group (n = 15), which did not undertake structured exercise. Core endurance, strength endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, and BMI were measured before and after the intervention. Results. The results showed significant improvements in all endurance measures and a decrease in BMI in the training group, while the control group showed minimal changes. These outcomes support evidence that short-term interval training produces rapid physiological gains. These gains include better aerobic capacity, increased muscular endurance, and favorable body composition changes. Conclusions. The findings highlight HIIT as a practical option for student-athletes with limited time, facilities, or weight-management challenges. Overall, the 5-week training protocol was effective in improving endurance and lowering BMI among overweight female student-athletes. Coaches, physical education instructors, and athletic programs are encouraged to incorporate structured training sessions to enhance performance and health. Future research should include longer interventions, larger and more diverse samples, and additional physiological and psychological measures.