Table 1 Summary of included studies characteristics

Aamot IL, et al. 2013 [13]

coronary artery disease

90 (80 men/10 women)

12 weeks, 2 × /week (24)

up-hill walking, cross country skiing, bicycling, running, or using indoor equipment such as treadmills or cross trainers

85–95% of peak HR

(70% of peak HR at active recovery)

4 × 4 min cyclying, 4 min active recovery, total 28 min

combine

(two initial sessions with personal instruction of a physiotherapist)

The median is 24 (range: 10–24) sessions

Mean exercise intensity the last 2 min of the intervals was 90 ± 2.5% of peak HR

home environment

supervised laboratory HIIT

12 weeks, 2 × /week (24)

Treadmill

85–95% of peak HR

(70% of peak HR at active recovery)

4 × 4 min cyclying, 4 min active recovery, total 28 min

Supervised by physiotherapist

24 (7–24) sessions

-

hospital

Bankolé LC, et al. 2016 [14]

facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

16

8 weeks, 3 × /week (24)

stationary ergocycle

80% of maximal aerobic power (40% of maximal aerobic power)

5 × 1 min cyclying, 4 min active recovery, total 17 min

combine

(The first 5 to 10 training sessions were supervised)

91%

No report

home

control

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Blackwell J, et al. 2017 [15]

middle-aged healthy adult

18 (5 men/13 women)

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

bodyweight-based exercises

the maximum number of repetitions possible with good form during each exertion

5 × 1 min exercise, 90 s active recovery, total 11 min

unsupervised

100%

No report

home

supervised laboratory HIIT

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

stationary ergocycle

95–110% of maximal load (watts (W))

(unloaded cycling at active recovery)

5 × 1 min cyclying, 90 s active recovery, total 11 min

supervised

100%

laboratory

Gauthier C, et al. 2018 [16]

spinal cord injury patients

11

6 weeks, 3 × /week (18)

wheelchair

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 6 to 8 (very hard) on a 1 to 10 Borg scale

20 × 30 s exercise, 60 s active recovery, total 30 min

unsupervised

15.5 ± 2.1 sessions

Participants self-reported that they had reached the prescribed exercise intensity

home environment

MICT

6 weeks, 3 × /week (18)

wheelchair

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 4 (somewhat difficult) to 5 (difficult) on a 1 to 10 Borg scale

30 min exercise

unsupervised

17.6 ± 1.7 sessions

home environment

Krawcyk RS, et al. 2019 [17]

mild stroke patient

71

12 weeks, 5 × /week (60)

stationary ergocycle

77–93% of the maximum heart rate, corresponding to 14–16 on the Borg-rated perceived-exertion scale

3 × 3 min exercise, 2 min active recovery, total 13 min

unsupervised

93%

Self-report using a talk test

home

control

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Taylor JL, et al. 2020 a [18]

coronary artery disease

42 (34 men/8 women)

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /weekfor 11 months (132)

treadmill or bike

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 15 to 18 (hard to very hard) on a 6 to 20 Borg scale

4 × 4-min high-intensity intervals interspersed with 3 min of active recovery

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

91% at 3 months

53% over 12 months

The mean RPE was 16.3 ± 1.3, and the mean %HRpeak was 87% ± 6%

home

MICT

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /weekfor 11 months (132)

treadmill or bike

34 min of moderate-intensity exercise at an RPE 11 to 13 (fairly light to somewhat hard)

-

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

91% at 3 months

41% over 12 months

home

Taylor JL, et al. 2020 b [19]

coronary artery disease

93 (78 men/15 women)

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /week for 11 months (132)

participants individually in their own environment (e.g. treadmill, cycle ergometer, elliptical machine, rowing ergometer)

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 15 to 18 (hard to very hard) on a 6 to 20 Borg scale

4 × 4-min high-intensity intervals interspersed with 3 min of active recovery

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

77% at 3 months

56% over 12 months

The mean RPE was 16.5 ± 1.2, and the mean %HRpeak was 88% ± 6%

home

MICT

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /weekfor 11 months (132)

treadmill or bike

34 min of moderate-intensity exercise at an RPE 11 to 13 (fairly light to somewhat hard)

-

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

86% at 3 months

39% over 12 months

home

Taylor JL, et al. 2021 [20]

coronary artery disease

93 (78 men/15 women)

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /week for 11 months (132)

outdoor walking exercise or

use personal exercise equipment in their home or commercial gym (e.g. bike, treadmill, elliptical)

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 15 to 18 (hard to very hard) on a 6 to 20 Borg scale

4 × 4-min high-intensity intervals interspersed with 3 min of active recovery

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

77% at 3 months

56% over 12 months

The mean RPE was 16.5 ± 1.2, and the mean %HRpeak was 88% ± 6%

home

MICT

4 week supervised cardiac rehabilitation program, and followed by 3 × /weekfor 11 months (132)

treadmill or bike

34 min of moderate-intensity exercise at an RPE 11 to 13 (fairly light to somewhat hard)

-

combine

(4-week cardiac rehabilitation program were supervised, following 11 months were informal support only)

86% at 3 months

39% over 12 months

home

Mueller S, et al. 2021 [21]

heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

176 (59 men/117 women)

12 months, 3 × /week (144)

stationary ergocycle

80%-90% of maximal heart rate

4 × 4-min intervals interspersed with 3 min of active recovery

combine (3 month supervised followed by 9 month nonsupervised training)

73%

Monitoring with a heart rate sensor (Heart rate values were not reported.)

3 months in clinic followed by 9 months in home

MICT

12 months, 5 × /week (240)

stationary ergocycle

40 min at 35%-50% of max heart rate reserve

-

combine (3 month supervised followed by 9 month nonsupervised training)

76%

3 months in clinic followed by 9 months in home

Borrega MY, et al. 2021 [22]

healthy men or women aged between 18 and 65 years

67 (22 men/45 women)

6 weeks, 6 × /week (36)

bodyweight-based exercises

85–95% of maximal heart rate

10–12 sets of 30–90 s with 15–60 s of rest between sets

unsupervised

77.78%

No report

home

MICT

6 weeks, 6 × /week (36)

bodyweight-based exercises

6–8 min at 70–85% max heart rate × 3 sets

1–2 min

unsupervised

80.64%

home

McDonough DJ, et al. 2021 [23]

helthy young adults aged between 18 and 35 years

64 (16 men/48 women)

12 weeks, 1 × /week (12)

bodyweight-based exercises with YouTube-delivered physical activity

unspecified (exercise duration was 6.3 ± 3.9 min)

unspecified

unsupervised

96.90%

No report

home

control

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Papadopoulos E, et al. 2021 [24]

post cancer on active surveillance men

18

8 weeks, 2 × /week (16)

recubent bike

 > 85% of maximal heart rate

10 × 1-min high-intensity intervals interspersed with 1 min of active recovery

supervised

95%

The mean %HRpeak was 86% ± 4%

home

resistance training

8 weeks, 2 × /week (16)

using strength training apparatus and free weights

3 sets of 8 repetitions at 65% 1 RM

-

supervised

96%

home

Ochi E, et al. 2021 [25]

stage I–IIa breast cancer

44 women

12 weeks, 3 × /week (36)

bodyweight-based exercises

rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 18 ± 2 on a 6 to 20 Borg scale

8 sets of 20 s exercise with 10 s rest

combine

(For the first 6 weeks, there was 1 subervised per week)

86% (range 19%–100%)

The mean RPE was 18 ± 2

home

control

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Sian TS, et al. 2021 [26]

healthy young adults aged between 18 and 30 years

30 (15 men/15 women)

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

bodyweight-based exercises

 > 85% of maximal heart rate

5 sets of 60 s exercise with 90 s rest

unsupervised

100%

100%

(% of training sessions where the target heart rate threshold of 85% HRmax was achieved)

home

supervised laboratory HIIT

control

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

-

cycle ergometer

-

 > 85% of maximal heart rate

-

5 sets of 60 s exercise with 90 s rest

-

supervised

-

100%

home

Sian TS, et al. 2022 [27]

sedentary older adults

30 (14 men/16 women)

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

bodyweight-based exercises

 > 85% of maximal heart rate

5 sets of 60 s exercise with 90 s rest

unsupervised

100%

100%

(% of training sessions where the target heart rate threshold of 85% HRmax was achieved)

home

supervised laboratory HIIT

control

4 weeks, 3 × /week (12)

-

cycle ergometer

-

 > 85% of maximal heart rate

-

5 sets of 60 s exercise with 90 s rest

-

supervised

-

100%

home