A prospective evaluation of non-interval- and interval-based exercise training progressions in rodents.

Non-interval and interval training progressions were used to determine (i) the mean rate at which treadmill speed could be incremented daily using a non-interval training progression to train rats to run continuously at different intensities and (ii) the number of training days required for rats to run continuously at different exercise intensities with non-interval- and interval-based training progressions to establish methods of progressive overload for rodent exercise training studies. Rats were randomly assigned to mild-intensity (n = 5, 20 m·min(-1), 5% grade), moderate-intensity (n = 5, 30 m·min(-1), 5% grade), and heavy-intensity non-interval groups (n = 5, 40 m·min(-1), 5% grade) or a heavy-intensity interval (n = 5, 40 m·min(-1), 5% grade) group and ran 5 days·week(-1) for 6 weeks. Non-interval training involved a daily increase of treadmill speed, whereas interval training involved a daily increase of interval time, until the animal could run continuously at a prescribed intensity. In mild-, moderate-, and heavy-intensity non-interval-trained rats, treadmill speed was increased by 0.6 ± 0.7 m·min(-1)·day(-1), 0.6 ± 0.2 m·min(-1)·day(-1), and 0.8 ± 0.1 m·min(-1)·day(-1), respectively. Target training intensity and duration were obtained following 0.4 ± 0.5 days, 17 ± 3 days, and 23 ± 3 training days (p < 0.05) in mild-, moderate-, and heavy-intensity groups, respectively. In contrast, interval-trained rodents required 11 ± 1 training days. These data demonstrate that rodents will tolerate an increase in treadmill speed of ∼0.7 ± 0.1 m·min(-1)·day(-1) and that this progression enables rats to run continuously at moderate and heavy intensities with 3-4 weeks of progressive overload. Interval training significantly reduces the number of training days required to attain a target intensity.