Can Different Exercise Modalities Improve Esports Performance?

NCT ID: NCT07150312

Last Updated: 2025-09-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 195 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2028-12-31

Brief 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 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

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) group

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

HIIT

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

MICT

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Control

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.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

HIIT

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

MICT

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. 18-29 years old;

2. regular FPS players engaging in shooters within the past six months;

3. healthy individuals who are capable of physical tests or HIIT;

4. no regular exercise habits;

5. can understand English or Chinese.

Exclusion Criteria

1. self-reported history of neurological, psychiatric, or medical diseases;

2. current intake of medications and/or recreational drugs that could affect the central nervous system and/or the ability to learn;

3. not a regular user of Aim Lab.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Ma Ruisi

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ma Ruisi

Co-Investigator

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Central Contacts

Di TANG, PHD

Role: CONTACT

tangdi@link.cuhk.edu.hk

852 52487078

References

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.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31977638 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

SBRE-24-0942

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id