Long-Term Effects of Three Different Exercise Training Modes on Cardiorespiratory Fitness of Female Flamenco Dancers.

Background: It is well established that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective in enhancing athletes' performance and improving the health of recreational exercisers. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive recommendations regarding the integration of HIIT into the exercise routines of flamenco dancers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate how three different 10-week training programs--including traditional flamenco training (control group, CG) alone or combined with HIIT or muscular strength and endurance training (MSET)--impact the cardiovascular fitness (maximal oxygen consumption, VO2max) of female flamenco dancers, specifically focusing on the effectiveness of additional training methods.

Methods: A group of 33 trained female flamenco dancers was randomly divided into three groups: HIIT (n=11), MSET (n=11), and a control group (CG, n=11). VO2max was assessed through breath-by-breath gas analysis during an incremental treadmill test. All participants, including the control group, engaged in uniform choreography sessions at moderate intensity (55-60% of reserve heart rate [HRR], 50 min/day, twice a week). In addition, the HIIT and MSET groups underwent supplementary training sessions twice a week (40 min/day) for 10 weeks, utilizing different techniques and intensities (HIIT: 80-90% of HRmax; MSET: 55-75% of HRmax).

Results: A statistically significant 19.7% improvement in aerobic capacity (VO2max) was observed in the HIIT group (p≤0.05), with large effect sizes (ES) compared to MSET (p=0.011; ES=2.423) and CG (p=0.034; ES=1.664).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that HIIT training, when integrated with dance lessons, enhances aerobic capacity more effectively compared to traditional dance training alone or traditional dance training supplemented with MSET. Therefore, integrating HIIT into dance training programs as supplementary training may be particularly effective in improving aerobic capacity for female flamenco dancers.