Effect of Wushu High-Intensity Interval Training on Anaerobic Physical Fitness Training

Background and Aim: Wushu High-Intensity Interval Training improves cardiovascular endurance and builds explosive strength crucial for martial arts performance. It also enhances agility, coordination, and mental focus under physical stress. This study aimed to investigate the effects of alternating heavy and light-intensity Wushu training on anaerobic fitness among adolescent athletes and to compare the outcomes of different structured Wushu high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 30 male Wushu athletes aged 13–15 years from Xi’an No. 26 Secondary School, Shaanxi Province, China. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (n=15) receiving an alternating-intensity HIIT Wushu training program, and a control group (n=15) undergoing conventional Wushu training. The intervention lasted eight weeks, with training conducted three times per week. Anaerobic fitness was assessed using the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests. Results: Pre-test analysis revealed no significant difference in anaerobic capacity between groups (p = 0.817). However, post-test results showed a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < .001). The experimental group achieved a higher mean anaerobic capacity (9.74 ± 0.15 W.kg¹) than the control group (8.93 ± 0.11 W.kg¹) after the intervention. Conclusion: The findings indicate that Wushu training incorporating alternating high and low-intensity intervals significantly enhances anaerobic fitness among adolescent athletes. The structured HIIT-based program proved more effective than traditional training methods, suggesting its applicability for improving performance in martial arts conditioning.