Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk

Abstract High-intensity training is recognized as a time-efficient method for simultaneously improving physical fitness and metabolic health, but direct comparisons between high-intensity functional training (HIFT) and high-intensity multimodal training (HIMT) are limited, especially in military officer cadets. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of high-intensity functional and multimodal training on physical fitness and cardiometabolic adaptations in military officer cadets. In this two-arm interventional study with a pre-test/post-test design and no non-exercise control group, 28 male students of Imam Ali (AS) University were randomly allocated to two groups of 14 each (HIFT and HIMT) and trained for eight weeks. Lipid profile (TC, LDL, HDL, and TG), cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), power (Sargent jump), and agility (Illinois Agility Test) were measured before and after the course. Data were analyzed using a mixed ANOVA at a significance level of 0.05. The main effect of time was significant for most variables; in both groups, VO2max, power, and agility improved and total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) decreased while HDL increased (p < 0.001). LDL changes, despite a decreasing trend, did not reach significance (p = 0.071). No significant group × time interaction was found for any variable, indicating no significant differences between the two methods. Both HIFT and HIMT were associated with improvements in the physical fitness and lipid profile of military students to a similar extent over eight weeks. Therefore, either method can be used as an effective and time-efficient strategy for improving combat readiness and metabolic health, based on available facilities and conditions.