The effects of various warming up intensities and durations during a short maximal anaerobic exercise.

In the literature, few experiments deal with the study of warming up before short exercises. The present paper investigates the influence of different warming up procedures on a short maximal anaerobic exercise leading to exhaustion in 1 min or less. Performance, heart rate, oxygen consumption, and lactic acid level are measured. The performance is improved when light warming up (30% VO2 max) is used just before the criterion exercise, while it is impaired with a more strenuous warming up (70% VO2 max). After light warming up, heart rate and oxygen consumption are slightly higher during the criterion exercise as compared with the values without warming up. Warming up itself does not lead to an increase in lactic acid level. When a resting period is introduced between warming up and exercise, no modification occurs whatever the warming up intensity, and no important variation of the physiological measures are observed in this case.

The effects of various warming up intensities and durations upon some physiological variables during an exercise corresponding to the WC170.

Empirically, many procedures are used by sportsmen to warm up, such as massage, hot showers, or muscular exercise, although their objective effect on performance is still not evident. The present study investigates different warming up durations and intensities with or without a resting period between warming up and the criterion exercise, both performed on a bicycle ergometer. Heart rate, oxygen consumption, blood lactic acid level, and oxygen debt are measured. When the criterion exercise immediately follows warming up, heart rate, and oxygen consumption generally attain higher values during the criterion exercise but lactic acid level shows no important variation. When introducing a resting period between warming up and the criterion exercise, the heart rate and oxygen consumption values do not differ from those attained without warming up. The results do not conclusively show a positive effect of warming up before exercise.