The efficacy of a whole body sprint-interval training intervention in an office setting: A feasibility study

Background: Whole body sprint-interval training (WB-SIT) represents a mode of exercise training that is both time-efficient and does not require access to an exercise facility. Objective: The current study examined the feasibility of implementing a WB-SIT intervention in a workplace setting. Methods: A total of 747 employees from a large office building were invited to participate with 31 individuals being enrolled in the study. Anthropometrics, aerobic fitness, core and upper body strength, and lower body mobility were assessed before and after a 12-week exercise intervention consisting of 2-4 training sessions per week. Each training session required participants to complete 8, 20-second intervals (separated by 10 seconds of rest) of whole body exercise. Results: Proportion of participation was 4.2% while the response rate was 35% (11/31 participants completed post training testing). In responders, compliance to prescribed training was 83±17%, and significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed for aerobic fitness, push-up performance and lower body mobility. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the efficacy of WB-SIT for improving fitness and mobility in an office setting, but highlight the difficulties in achieving high rates of participation and response in this setting.