Metabolic and Performance Effects of Different Warm-up Protocols on Aerobic Exercise in Physically Active Adults

Abstract

Pre-competition warm-up (WU) routines have long been prescribed as necessary components to optimize performance in athletic contests. Although WU routines are ubiquitous prior to competition, there is limited, inconclusive evidence on the impact to performance and the research focus has been on short to moderate duration exercise (< 7 min). This project was the first to investigate the effects of WU on metabolic responses and performance during long duration endurance performance. PURPOSE: To determine the metabolic and performance effects of different warm-up (WU) protocols on high-intensity aerobic exercise in physically active adults. METHODS: In a randomized, controlled crossover protocol, qualifying participants performed a continuous, graded maximal exercise test and multiple time-to-exhaustion (TTE) performance tests. On separate days, two 10-minute WU protocols, moderate and vigorous, were performed prior to the TTE. The near-threshold TTE used varied intensity (3-min 100% of ventilatory threshold (VT) power, 1-min 110% VT) to simulate the undulations common in races. Measurements of metabolic activity were recorded by indirect calorimetry. RESULTS: Physically active men (age: 24 ± 2.5 yr; body fat: 15.9 ± 6.51 %; VO2max: 40.2 ± 10.41 ml/kg/min; VT: 69.9 ± 0.72 %) were able to maintain high-intensity aerobic exercise longer (TTE increase: 8.05 ± 9.93 min) following a moderate vs. a vigorous warm-up protocol. CONCLUSION: The moderate intensity warm-up was more effective than a vigorous warm-up to increase time to exhaustion prior to high intensity aerobic exercise. Further research is needed to determine the metabolic and neuromuscular changes that contribute to the difference in performance.