Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jul 16, 2024; 12(20): 4239-4246
Published online Jul 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i20.4239
Impact of a 12-wk physical conditioning program on the aerobic capacity of aviation cadets
Hao Luo, Ding-Yu Zhao, Juan Li
Hao Luo, School of Sports and Human Sciences, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
Hao Luo, Ding-Yu Zhao, School of Physical Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi Province, China
Juan Li, College of Physical Education and Health, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
Author contributions: Luo H contributed to the study conception and design, the literature review, and the manuscript drafting; Zhao DY acquired the data and figures; Li J revised the manuscript for important intellectual content; All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Sport University (No. 2019113H).
Informed consent statement: The data used in this study were not involved in the privacy information, so the informed consent was waived by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Sport University. All data obtained, recorded, and managed only used for this study, and all information are strictly confidential, without any harm to the participants.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hao Luo, PhD, Lecturer, School of Sports and Human Sciences, Beijing Sport University, No. 48 Xinxin Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China. luohao@sxu.edu.cn
Received: April 1, 2024
Revised: May 18, 2024
Accepted: May 29, 2024
Published online: July 16, 2024
Processing time: 89 Days and 16.2 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Flight cadets need to have good physical fitness to cope with the challenges of flying missions. The continuous development of science and technology has led to the constant upgrading of fighter jets and the improvement of their performance, which has resulted in new and higher requirements for the physical fitness of flight personnel. The traditional physical training mode, method, and assessment have been used for many years and do not meet current fitness needs.

AIM

To investigate the impact of a 12-wk comprehensive anti-G fitness training program on the aerobic capacity of aviation cadets and to evaluate its effectiveness.

METHODS

Fifty-five cadets were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups using a randomized, single-blind design. The control group maintained their existing training regimen, while the experimental group participated in a 12-wk comprehensive training intervention. The training program comprised strength training twice per week, high-intensity interval training three times per week, and supplemental nutritional and psychological support. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), lower limb strength, and hemoglobin levels were measured at baseline, at 6 wk and 12 wk post-intervention.

RESULTS

Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences of both VO2max and relative VO2 in both groups across time points (P < 0.05). However, no significant time-group interaction was observed (P > 0.05). Paired t-tests comparing baseline and 12-wk results showed that VO2max and relative VO2 were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (P < 0.05). This suggests that the training program effectively enhanced the aerobic capacity of the experimental group. Key indicators of aerobic capacity, bilateral lower limb strength and hemoglobin levels, were also significantly different over time and between groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences were noted in heart-rate metrics (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A 12-wk comprehensive anti-G fitness training program significantly improved the aerobic capacity of aviation cadets, thereby enhancing their overall capacity and laying a physiological foundation for enduring high-G flights.

Keywords: Aviation cadets, Aerobic capacity, Physical training, High-intensity interval training, Anti-G fitness

Core Tip: This study employed a randomized, single-blind experimental design. Fifty-five cadets were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The control group maintained their existing training regimen, while the experimental group participated in a 12-wk comprehensive training intervention. The training program consisted of strength training twice per week, high-intensity interval training three times per week, and supplemental nutritional and psychological support. Maximal oxygen uptake, lower limb strength, and hemoglobin level were measured at baseline, 6 wk, and 12 wk post-intervention. The results showed that a 12-wk comprehensive anti-G fitness training program significantly improved the aerobic capacity of the aviation cadets, thereby enhancing their overall capacity and laying a physiological foundation for enduring high-G flights.