Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify acute physiological and perceptive responses to adapted high intensity interval training with inactive Māori women, using a Māori values approach in a community setting. The approach aimed to acknowledge and apply values such as whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and employ principles of tikanga deemed appropriate for a community-based exercise intervention. Fourteen self-reported “inactive” or low active Māori women (38.3 ± 11.6 years) were familiarized with the training protocol over a 4-week period (2-3 training sessions offered per week) and performed 20 “sets” of 30- seconds work followed by 30- seconds rest/recovery (total session time 20 minutes). Sets included bodyweight and resistance based exercise stations repeated four times over the session. Variables of interest included set and session heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), affective valence on the feeling scale (FS), and change in salivary cortisol (SC) and blood lactate (BL) from pre-session to post-trial to 20 minutes post-trial. Additional perceptive responses were recorded 20 minutes post-trial to assess exercise enjoyment (PACES), self-efficacy and exercise intentions. Analyses were conducted to determine responses to the protocol. There was a significant increase pre-trial to post-trial for BL (1.2 ± 0.3 to 5.8 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) and SC (2.5 ± 0.8 to 4.6 ± 3.0, p = 0.038), and SC elevations remained at 20-min post-trial (6.6 ± 4.3, p = 0.011). Mean %HR (age predicted percentage of heart rate maximum) was 85.2 ± 7.2%. Subjects mean RPE during exercise was 7.1 ± 1.0, while their overall session RPE was 7.9 ± 0.7. The mean affective response (FS) to the overall session (3.5 ± 1.9) was rated as more positively than mean in-session responses (2.0 ± 1.7). A Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed significantly lower self-efficacy between participants’ reported confidence in their ability to perform the exercise in the next four weeks: three times per week (70 ± 30.4%), compared to their confidence to perform the exercise once a week (89.3 ± 18.2%), p < 0.01, or twice a week (87.1 ± 20.2%), p < 0.01. The same test revealed a lower degree of intention to perform the exercise three times per week (5.1 ± 1.4) over the next four weeks compared to once a week (6.4 ± 0.9), p < 0.01, or twice a week (5.9 ± 1.1), p < 0.001. Whole-body exercise incorporated into a high intensity interval format, delivered in a real-world and culturally appropriate manner, is an effective physiological stimulus for previously inactive Māori women. Such an exercise protocol could be a viable alternative to current public health messages regarding physical activity.
[NOTE: Chapter 4 has been redacted and will only be available on November 27 2018]
