Effect of upper-body high intensity interval training on exercise performance in professional cricket players

The aerobic energy pathway is a significant contributing factor to the performance of a professional cricket player. The physical demands
of professional cricket place a high workload on the lower body, presenting a possible advantage to train for aerobic improvements
via the upper body. The aim of the present study was to investigate the transfer effect of upper body high intensity interval training
(HIIT) on lower body performance. Eleven male professional cricket players were assigned to either a control group (n = 5) or a rope
training group (n = 6). Both groups performed pre-season resistance conditioning training circuit sessions, with the rope group performing
additional upper body HIIT training three days/week for four weeks. Performance testing was conducted on both groups during
pre- and post-training intervention periods. The rope group experienced a significant increase in upper body maximal exercise capacity
(~12%) estimated by the upper body VO2max test (P = 0.016) with no significant change in the control group (P > 0.05). There was no
significant change in VO2max, HRmax, VE and RER in either group (P > 0.05). Lower body maximal aerobic performance, assessed by the
Yo-Yo IR1 test increased significantly (~11%) in the rope group (P = 0.011) with a large effect size identified in the control group ~3%
(ES = 1.07). The results show that short-term upper body HIIT can produce specific improvements in upper body anaerobic power and
maximal exercise capacity. Additionally, the upper body HIIT improved maximal exercise capacity in the untrained limbs, although the
mechanism responsible for the adaptation is unclear. Upper body HIIT is an effective method of improving the lower body maximal
exercise capacity in professional cricket players.