Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk
Journal of Eexercise & Organ Cross Talk

Comparative effects of high-intensity functional and multimodal training on physical fitness and cardiometabolic adaptations in military officer cadets

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Reza Sabzevari Rad 1
Saadi Aboubakri 2

1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of command and management Sciences, Imam Ali military' University, Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD Student, Exercise Physiology Department, University of Guilan, Rasht, IRAN

10.22122/jeoct.2026.589413.1214
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.

What is already known on this subject?

• High-intensity exercise, including high-intensity functional training (HIFT), is a time-efficient method for simultaneously improving multiple components of fitness and has gained popularity in military settings.

• Regular physical activity, particularly high-intensity exercise, can positively modify the lipid profile; increases in HDL and decreases in triglycerides are well-known adaptations, whereas the LDL response is more transient and often requires greater intensity or duration.

• The type of exercise (functional versus other modalities) does not usually affect the extent of cardiorespiratory-fitness improvement, which is primarily determined by exercise intensity.

 

What this study adds?

• HIFT and HIMT improved physical fitness and lipid profile in officer cadets to a similar extent over eight weeks, with no significant difference in effectiveness.

• This allows military planners to choose either method based on available facilities and conditions without concern about reduced effectiveness.

Keywords

High-intensity functional training
High-intensity multimodal training
Lipid profile
Physical fitness
Military officer cadet
Subjects

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the participants for their time and effort during the tests.

Funding

None.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors, but restrictions apply to their availability due to security and military considerations; they were used under license for the current study and are not publicly available. Data are available from the authors upon reasonable request and with the permission of Reza Sabzevari Rad.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval All procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments.

Informed consent All participants were fully informed about the study objectives, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to enrollment, and participants were informed that they could withdraw at any stage without penalty. The authors affirm that participants gave informed consent for the publication of anonymized data. No personally identifiable information is included in this manuscript. 

Author contributions 

Conceptualization: Conceptualization: R.S.R.; Methodology: R.S.R.; Software: R.S.R.; Validation: R.S.R.; Formal analysis: S.A.; Investigation: R.S.R.; Resources: R.S.R.; Data curation: R.S.R.; Writing-original draft: R.S.R.; Writing - review & editing: R.S.R.; Visualization: R.S.R.; Supervision: R.S.R.; Project administration: R.S.R.; Funding acquisition: R.S.R.   

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Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 01 December 2026

  • Receive Date 30 June 2026
  • Revise Date 14 August 2026
  • Accept Date 22 August 2026

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