Scientists at the University of New South Wales in Australia studied 40 overweight male participants, most of whom were college students in their twenties. Over a 12-week period, participants engaged in short bursts of high-intensity cycling. Results showed significant reductions in abdominal fat and noticeable increases in muscle mass.
Dr. Steve Butcher, Professor of Exercise Physiology and lead researcher, has spent nearly a decade studying "maximizing health benefits with minimal exercise." He noted that participants received the ideal intensity of exercise for optimal health benefits, achieving successful short-term weight loss and other health outcomes.
Dr. Butcher reported that after three weekly sessions, participants lost an average of 2 kilograms while gaining 1.1 kilograms of muscle mass. Weight loss and muscle gain primarily occurred in the torso and legs. During training, researchers instructed participants to sprint on stationary bikes for 8 seconds, elevating heart rates to 80–90% of maximum capacity, followed by 12 seconds of slow cycling.During the 20-minute sessions three times weekly, participants primarily engaged in 8 minutes of sprinting. Results showed significant reductions in visceral fat (closely linked to cardiovascular disease risk) and noticeable waist circumference decreases. Multiple earlier studies involving female subjects yielded similar findings. The control group, which did not exercise, showed no weight loss during the study period.Both control and exercise groups consumed identical caloric diets.
Researchers analyzed that sprinting triggers increased release of the hormone "catecholamine," which enhances the breakdown of stored body fat—particularly abdominal and visceral fat—by mobilizing it for consumption through muscle activity.