Esports PlayersNCT07150312
Can Different Exercise Modalities Improve Esports Performance?
A study testing HIIT and MICT in people with Esports Players, run by Ma Ruisi.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on esports performance through a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial, and to examine the sustainability of these effects during a follow-up period after… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Esports Players
- What is being tested?
- HIIT and MICT
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 195 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2026to 31 Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 18-29 years old;
- regular FPS players engaging in shooters within the past six months;
- healthy individuals who are capable of physical tests or HIIT;
- no regular exercise habits;
- can understand English or Chinese.
Who cannot join
- self-reported history of neurological, psychiatric, or medical diseases;
- current intake of medications and/or recreational drugs that could affect the central nervous system and/or the ability to learn;
- not a regular user of Aim Lab.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Can Different Exercise Modalities Improve Esports Performance? Study Protocol for a 12-week Three-arm Randomized Controlled Trial
This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on esports performance through a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial, and to examine the sustainability of these effects during a follow-up period after intervention cessation. Additionally, we seek to compare the differential impacts of these two exercise modalities on various dimensions of esports performance, thereby providing evidence-based guidance for esports training regimens and enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which different exercise approaches influence cognitive and motor capabilities essential for competitive gaming.
- Conditions
- Esports Players
- Being tested
- HIIT, MICT
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
HIITBehavioural
A 12-week home-based HIIT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 10 x 1-minute high-intensity bouts interspersed with 10 x 1-minute recovery periods. Adding the 3-minute warmup and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals approximately 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks.
Intensity: High-intensity bouts are performed at 80-90% of HRmax (RPE 15-18). Recovery periods are at 40-50% of HRmax (RPE 11-13). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13).
Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors.
Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach.
MICTBehavioural
A 12-week home-based MICT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 20 minutes of continuous exercise. Including the 3-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks.
Intensity: Exercise is performed at 64-76% of HRmax (RPE 12-14). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13).
Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors.
Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| High-intensity interval training (HIIT) group | Experimental | A 12-week home-based HIIT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 10 x 1-minute high-intensity bouts interspersed with 10 x 1-minute recovery periods. Adding the 3-minute warmup and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals approximately 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks.
Intensity: High-intensity bouts are performed at 80-90% of HRmax (RPE 15-18). Recovery periods are at 40-50% of HRmax (RPE 11-13). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13).
Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors.
Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. Receives: Behavioral: HIIT |
| Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group | Experimental | A 12-week home-based MICT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 20 minutes of continuous exercise. Including the 3-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks.
Intensity: Exercise is performed at 64-76% of HRmax (RPE 12-14). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13).
Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors.
Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. Receives: Behavioral: MICT |
| Control | No intervention | No intervention. Members of the control group are required to maintain their usual habits of gaming, sleeping, eating, and exercising. The experiment does not implement any interventions for the control group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Esports performance
Measured by Aim Lab (Online shooting program) and esports-related mental quality questionnaire.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after 12-week intervention completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Sep 2025
- Study start1 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Esports PlayersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 195 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ma Ruisi
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Ma Ruisi, Jinan University Guangzhou
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07150312
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SBRE-24-0942
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 17 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 2 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
DE Las Heras B, Li O, Rodrigues L, Nepveu JF, Roig M. Exercise Improves Video Game Performance: A Win-Win Situation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Jul;52(7):1595-1602. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002277.
PubMed 31977638Tang D, Ye Z, Ma R, Liu J, Ho WK, Sum RKW. Can different exercise modalities improve esports performance? Study protocol for a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2026 Aug 25;21(8):e0357119. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0357119. eCollection 2026.
PubMed 42640944
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Can Different Exercise Modalities Improve Esports Performance? Study Protocol for a 12-week Three-arm Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07150312
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SBRE-24-0942
- Conditions
- Esports Players
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 195 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Ma RuisiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on esports performance through a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial, and to examine the sustainability of these effects during a follow-up period after intervention cessation. Additionally, we seek to compare the differential impacts of these two exercise modalities on various dimensions of esports performance, thereby providing evidence-based guidance for esports training regimens and enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which different exercise approaches influence cognitive and motor capabilities essential for competitive gaming.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| High-intensity interval training (HIIT) group | Experimental | Behavioral: HIITA 12-week home-based HIIT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 10 x 1-minute high-intensity bouts interspersed with 10 x 1-minute recovery periods. Adding the 3-minute warmup and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals approximately 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks. Intensity: High-intensity bouts are performed at 80-90% of HRmax (RPE 15-18). Recovery periods are at 40-50% of HRmax (RPE 11-13). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13). Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors. Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. |
| Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group | Experimental | Behavioral: MICTA 12-week home-based MICT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 20 minutes of continuous exercise. Including the 3-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks. Intensity: Exercise is performed at 64-76% of HRmax (RPE 12-14). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13). Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors. Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. |
| Control | No intervention | –No intervention. Members of the control group are required to maintain their usual habits of gaming, sleeping, eating, and exercising. The experiment does not implement any interventions for the control group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 18-29 years old;
- regular FPS players engaging in shooters within the past six months;
- healthy individuals who are capable of physical tests or HIIT;
- no regular exercise habits;
- can understand English or Chinese.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- self-reported history of neurological, psychiatric, or medical diseases;
- current intake of medications and/or recreational drugs that could affect the central nervous system and/or the ability to learn;
- not a regular user of Aim Lab.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| HIITA 12-week home-based HIIT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 10 x 1-minute high-intensity bouts interspersed with 10 x 1-minute recovery periods. Adding the 3-minute warmup and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals approximately 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks. Intensity: High-intensity bouts are performed at 80-90% of HRmax (RPE 15-18). Recovery periods are at 40-50% of HRmax (RPE 11-13). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13). Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors. Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. | Behavioural | High-intensity interval training (HIIT) group |
| MICTA 12-week home-based MICT exercise plan (running). Duration: Each session consists of 20 minutes of continuous exercise. Including the 3-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down, each session totals 26 minutes. This protocol is followed for 12 weeks. Intensity: Exercise is performed at 64-76% of HRmax (RPE 12-14). Warm-up and cool-down are at 50% HRmax (RPE 11-13). Modality: Running, jogging, or brisk walking, either on a treadmill or outdoors. Supervision: The first three sessions are supervised in a laboratory setting. Subsequent sessions are unsupervised and performed at home with heart rate monitoring and remote data tracking via Polar Flow for Coach. | Behavioural | Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group |
Primary outcome
Esports performance
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after 12-week intervention completion
Measured by Aim Lab (Online shooting program) and esports-related mental quality questionnaire.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Sep 2025.
- Background: PubMed 31977638DE Las Heras B, Li O, Rodrigues L, Nepveu JF, Roig M. Exercise Improves Video Game Performance: A Win-Win Situation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Jul;52(7):1595-1602. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002277.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42640944Tang D, Ye Z, Ma R, Liu J, Ho WK, Sum RKW. Can different exercise modalities improve esports performance? Study protocol for a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2026 Aug 25;21(8):e0357119. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0357119. eCollection 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Esports Players
Recruiting
Neuromuscular Training in Professional Esports Players
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Not yet recruiting
Multidisciplinary Health Monitoring for Esports Players
Musculoskeletal Pain, Sedentary Behavior
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing HIIT and MICT in people with Esports Players, run by Ma Ruisi.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Di TANG, PHD (852 52487078, tangdi@link.cuhk.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Esports performance (time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after 12-week intervention completion). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07150312, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Sep 2025.