Effects of three-month fartlek training on resting and dynamic blood pressure in adolescents: A quasi-experimental study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um086v4i12026p23-33Keywords:
Adolescents, blood pressure, cardiovascular adaptation, dynamic response, fartlek trainingAbstract
Background: Blood pressure regulation is an important indicator of cardiovascular function, which is influenced by physical activity. Aerobic exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure. However, studies on the effects of varying intensity training, such as fartlek, on resting blood pressure and dynamic responses during physical activity are limited, particularly in younger populations. Objective: This study aimed to analyze resting blood pressure adaptation and the dynamic blood pressure response after participation in a 3-month fartlek training program. Methods: This quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study involved 59 male adolescents (13-14 years) selected through purposive sampling. A three-month fartlek program was conducted. Blood pressure at rest, during activity, and during recovery was measured using a bicycle test and a digital sphygmomanometer, and analyzed with paired t-tests and Cohen’s d. Result: Resting systolic blood pressure decreased from 96.1 ± 11.2 to 91.6 ± 8.0 mmHg (p < 0.001; d = 1.41), while diastolic pressure decreased from 58.7 ± 9.1 to 57.2 ± 7.1 mmHg (p < 0.05; d = 0.75). During activity, the decrease in blood pressure was more pronounced at submaximal (d = 0.58) than at higher intensities (d = 0.23-0.24). In the recovery phase, there was a consistent increase in cardiovascular efficiency, with moderate to near-large effect sizes (d = 0.60-0.72). Conclusion: Fartlek training effectively improves blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular function in young individuals, particularly in enhancing submaximal response efficiency and accelerating hemodynamic recovery after physical activity. Future studies should include control groups and additional physiological parameters to strengthen causal interpretation and generalizability.
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