The home confinement derived from the COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic changes in people’s habits. This situation has influenced their eating, rest, physical activity and socialization patterns, triggering changes in their mental stability. It was demonstrated that physical activity is beneficial for people’s physical and mental health. By its moderate volume and requiring little space or material, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) could prove to be a valid alternative in a situation of confinement. The aim of the present study was to observe the impact of an 8-week HIIT protocol on the body composition and the depressive symptoms of adults in strict home confinement. A total of 21 healthy adults, both male and female, (35.4 ± 5.6 years old; 70.50 ± 12.1 kg; 171 ± 10 cm) were divided into an experimental group (EG, n = 11) who carried out an 8-week Tabata protocol, based upon calisthenic exercises with their own weight in their homes, and a control group (CG, n = 10) who did not carry out any systematic physical activity over the same period. Following the intervention, the EG experienced a significant reduction in percentage (t = 3.86, d = 0.57, p < 0.05) and in kg (t = 4.62, d = 0.29, p < 0.05) of body fat mass (BFM) and body fat mass index (BFMI) (t = 4.61, d = 0.31, p < 0.05), as well as a reduction in depressive symptoms (t = 6.48, d = 1.3, p < 0.05). These results indicate that HIIT is a potential public health tool that could possibly be prescribed to the population in case of future situations of home confinement.
Groin injuries are one of the most prevalent in sports, especially due to the hip adductor muscles’ weakness, which is considered as a risk factor. The Copenhagen adduction exercise (CAE) has been demonstrated to increase the strength of adductor muscles, but its effects on the architectural characteristics and flexibility of the adductors has been little studied. The aim of the present study was to analyse the impact on the muscular architecture and flexibility of the adductor musculature after 8 weeks of CAE-based training and after 4 weeks of subsequent detraining. A sample of 45 active subjects (26.1 ± 2.8 years old) were randomly divided into a control group with no intervention and an experimental group with an intervention based on 8 weeks of CAE training and 4 weeks of subsequent detraining. The muscle thickness of adductors was measured before and after training and detraining using ultrasound imaging and hip abduction range with goniometry. A significant increase in muscle thickness (left leg: +17.83%, d = 1.77, p < 0.001//right leg: +18.38%, d = 1.82, p < 0.001) and adductor flexibility was found in the experimental group (left leg: +7.3%, d = 0.96, p < 0.05//right leg: +7.15%, d = 0.94, p < 0.05), and after detraining, both variables returned to their initial values. These results could indicate that CAE would be a suitable strategy to modify the architecture of the adductors and thus form part of training protocols designed for the prevention and rehabilitation of muscle injuries.