Exercise Training AdaptationHIIT-KICKNCT07449663
SPORT-SPECIFIC HIIT IN ELITE KICKBOXERS
A study testing Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval Training and Regular Training in people with Exercise Training Adaptation and Exercise Physiology, run by Adiyaman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study examines how sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) affects the body in elite kickboxers. Participants are randomly assigned to either a HIIT training group or a control group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise Training Adaptation, Exercise Physiology, High-Intensity Interval Training
- What is being tested?
- Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval Training and Regular Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 15 Jan 2026to 15 Mar 2026
- 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 to 30 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male elite kickboxers aged 18 to 30 years
- At least five years of regular kickboxing training experience
- Active participation in kickboxing training
- Ability to complete the training program
Who cannot join
- Serious injury within the previous six months
- Presence of chronic or cardiometabolic disease
- Regular use of medications or ergogenic supplements
- Tobacco or alcohol use
- Inability to complete the training program
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Adiyaman University Faculty of Sport Sciences
Adıyaman, 02040
About this study
Official title: SPORT-SPECIFIC HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING INDUCES SELECTIVE APELIN AND IRISIN RESPONSES IN ELITE KICKBOXERS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
This study examines how sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) affects the body in elite kickboxers.
Participants are randomly assigned to either a HIIT training group or a control group. The HIIT group performs supervised sport-specific training for eight weeks, while the control group continues their usual training. Blood samples are collected before and after the training period.
Read more
The main goal of this study is to determine whether HIIT changes levels of exercise-related proteins such as apelin and irisin. These proteins may reflect how the body adapts to intense training.
The findings may help researchers and coaches better understand the effects of high-intensity training and may support the development of safer and more effective training programs for athletes.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on biochemical markers related to exercise adaptation in elite kickboxers.
High-intensity interval training is widely used in combat sports because it reflects the intermittent high-intensity nature of competition. Exercise-induced proteins such as apelin and irisin are considered potential biomarkers of physiological adaptation to training. However, biochemical responses to sport-specific HIIT in elite combat athletes remain insufficiently understood.
Participants are elite male kickboxers aged 18-30 years with at least five years of training experience. Participants are randomly assigned to either an experimental group performing sport-specific HIIT or a control group continuing their regular training routines.
The HIIT program lasts eight weeks and includes supervised training sessions five days per week at an intensity of approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. The control group continues their usual technical and tactical kickboxing training without participation in the structured HIIT program.
Blood samples are collected at baseline and after completion of the eight-week intervention period. Serum concentrations of apelin and irisin are assessed as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes include leptin, interleukin-6, and selected hematological parameters.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate biochemical adaptations to sport-specific HIIT and to identify potential biomarkers of training adaptation in elite athletes. The findings may contribute to improved athlete monitoring and the development of evidence-based training programs.
- Being tested
- Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval Training, Regular Training
- Keywords
- high-intensity interval training, apelin, irisin, kickboxing, myokines, biomarkers
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval TrainingBehavioural
Participants perform supervised sport-specific high-intensity interval training five days per week for eight weeks. Training intensity is maintained at approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. The program consists of repeated high-intensity exercise intervals interspersed with active recovery periods and is designed to reflect the physiological demands of competitive kickboxing.
Regular TrainingBehavioural
Participants continue their usual kickboxing training routines without participation in the structured HIIT program.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sport-Specific HIIT | Experimental | Participants perform supervised sport-specific high-intensity interval training five days per week for eight weeks at an intensity of approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. Receives: Behavioral: Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval Training |
| Regular Training | Active comparator | Participants continue their regular kickboxing training without participation in the structured HIIT program. Receives: Behavioral: Regular Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Serum Apelin Concentration
Serum apelin concentration measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Mar 2026
- Study start15 Jan 2026
- Primary completion15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Exercise Training AdaptationStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to either a sport-specific HIIT group or a control group continuing regular training.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Adiyaman University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Eren Bozyılan, Adiyaman University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07449663
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ADIYAMAN-HIIT-RCT-2025
- Acronym
- HIIT-KICK
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 27 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared. According to the informed consent form, personal information and study data will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties without written permission from the participants.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- SPORT-SPECIFIC HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING INDUCES SELECTIVE APELIN AND IRISIN RESPONSES IN ELITE KICKBOXERS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07449663
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HIIT-KICK / ADIYAMAN-HIIT-RCT-2025
- Keywords
- high-intensity interval training, apelin, irisin, kickboxing, myokines, biomarkers
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Adiyaman UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Mar 2026 (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 examines how sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) affects the body in elite kickboxers.
Participants are randomly assigned to either a HIIT training group or a control group. The HIIT group performs supervised sport-specific training for eight weeks, while the control group continues their usual training. Blood samples are collected before and after the training period.
The main goal of this study is to determine whether HIIT changes levels of exercise-related proteins such as apelin and irisin. These proteins may reflect how the body adapts to intense training.
The findings may help researchers and coaches better understand the effects of high-intensity training and may support the development of safer and more effective training programs for athletes.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on biochemical markers related to exercise adaptation in elite kickboxers.
High-intensity interval training is widely used in combat sports because it reflects the intermittent high-intensity nature of competition. Exercise-induced proteins such as apelin and irisin are considered potential biomarkers of physiological adaptation to training. However, biochemical responses to sport-specific HIIT in elite combat athletes remain insufficiently understood.
Participants are elite male kickboxers aged 18-30 years with at least five years of training experience. Participants are randomly assigned to either an experimental group performing sport-specific HIIT or a control group continuing their regular training routines.
The HIIT program lasts eight weeks and includes supervised training sessions five days per week at an intensity of approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. The control group continues their usual technical and tactical kickboxing training without participation in the structured HIIT program.
Blood samples are collected at baseline and after completion of the eight-week intervention period. Serum concentrations of apelin and irisin are assessed as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes include leptin, interleukin-6, and selected hematological parameters.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate biochemical adaptations to sport-specific HIIT and to identify potential biomarkers of training adaptation in elite athletes. The findings may contribute to improved athlete monitoring and the development of evidence-based training programs.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to either a sport-specific HIIT group or a control group continuing regular training.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sport-Specific HIIT | Experimental | Behavioral: Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval TrainingParticipants perform supervised sport-specific high-intensity interval training five days per week for eight weeks at an intensity of approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. |
| Regular Training | Active comparator | Behavioral: Regular TrainingParticipants continue their regular kickboxing training without participation in the structured HIIT program. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Male elite kickboxers aged 18 to 30 years
- At least five years of regular kickboxing training experience
- Active participation in kickboxing training
- Ability to complete the training program
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Serious injury within the previous six months
- Presence of chronic or cardiometabolic disease
- Regular use of medications or ergogenic supplements
- Tobacco or alcohol use
- Inability to complete the training program
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval TrainingParticipants perform supervised sport-specific high-intensity interval training five days per week for eight weeks. Training intensity is maintained at approximately 85-95 percent of maximum heart rate. The program consists of repeated high-intensity exercise intervals interspersed with active recovery periods and is designed to reflect the physiological demands of competitive kickboxing. | Behavioural | Sport-Specific HIIT |
| Regular TrainingParticipants continue their usual kickboxing training routines without participation in the structured HIIT program. | Behavioural | Regular Training |
Primary outcome
Serum Apelin Concentration
Time frame: Baseline and Week 8
Serum apelin concentration measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
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 4 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared. According to the informed consent form, personal information and study data will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties without written permission from the participants.
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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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Sport-Specific High-Intensity Interval Training and Regular Training in people with Exercise Training Adaptation and Exercise Physiology, run by Adiyaman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 4 inclusion and 5 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
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?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Serum Apelin Concentration (time frame: Baseline and Week 8). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 4 Mar 2026.