Training effects of short and long bouts of brisk walking in sedentary women

This study compared the effects of short and long bouts of brisk walking in sedentary women. Forty seven women aged 44.4 ± 6.2 yr (mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to either three 10-min walks per day (short bouts), one 30-min walk per day (long bouts) or no training (control). Brisk walking was done on 5 d·wk-1, at 70 to 80% of maximal heart rate, typically at speeds between 1.6 and 1.8 m·s-1 (3.5 and 4.0 mph), for 10 wk. Subjects agreed not to make changes to their diet. Twelve short-bout walkers, 12 long-bout walkers, and 10 controls completed the study. Relative to controls, ˙VO2max (short-bout, +2.3 ± 0.1 mL·kg-1·min-1; long-bout, +2.4 ± 0.1 mL·kg-1·min-1; controls, -0.5 ± 0.1 mL·kg-1·min-1) and the ˙VO2 at a blood lactate concentration of 2 mmol·L-1 increased in walkers (bothP