The effects of lower body passive heating combined with mixed-method cooling during half-time on second-half intermittent sprint performance in the heat.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of combined cooling and lower body heat maintenance during half-time on second-half intermittent sprint performances. METHODS: In a repeated measures design, nine males completed four intermittent cycling trials (32.1 ± 0.3 °C and 55.3 ± 3.7% relative humidity), with either one of the following half-time recovery interventions; mixed-method cooling (ice vest, ice slushy and hand cooling; COOL), lower body passive heating (HEAT), combined HEAT and COOL (COMB) and control (CON). Peak and mean power output (PPO and MPO), rectal (Tre), estimated muscle (Tes-Mus) and skin (TSK) temperatures were monitored throughout exercise. RESULTS: During half-time, the decrease in Tre was substantially greater in COOL and COMB compared with CON and HEAT, whereas declines in Tes-Mus within HEAT and COMB were substantially attenuated compared with CON and COOL. The decrease in TSK was most pronounced in COOL compared with CON, HEAT and COMB. During second-half, COMB and HEAT resulted in a larger decrease in PPO and MPO during the initial stages of the second-half when compared to CON. In addition, COOL resulted in an attenuated decrease in PPO and MPO compared to COMB in the latter stages of second-half. CONCLUSION: The maintenance of Tes-Mus following half-time was detrimental to prolonged intermittent sprint performance in the heat, even when used together with cooling.