Summary
The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of prolonged warm-up exercise above and below anaerobic threshold (AT) on maximal performance. Warm-up exercise consisted of pedalling the Monark cycle ergometer at either 40% (Below AT) or 68% (Above AT) of VO2 max for 60 min. Each maximal performance consisted of two 40 s bouts of “all out” pedalling on the Monark cycle ergometer against 5.5 kg resistance separated by a 5 min rest period. These tests were administered on two occasions without warm-up exercise and were found to be reproducible for work output and peak blood lactate concentration. Below AT warm-up exercise significantly increased core temperature with no increase in steady state blood lactate concentration and was thus representative of a desired warmed-up status. This condition did not contribute to an improved maximal performance. Above AT warm-up exercise resulted in significant increases in core temperature and steady state blood lactate concentration. Work output and peak blood lactate concentration for maximal exercise were significantly decreased. It was concluded that task specific prolonged warm-up exercise below AT does not contribute to an improved maximal performance of the type employed in the present study. Following warm-up exercise above AT, maximal performance was impaired. This was attributed to probable glycogen depletion in fast twitch muscle fibers which in turn may have contributed to a decreased lactate production.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asmussen E, Boje O (1960) Body temperature and capacity for work. Acta Physiol Scand 48: 448–453
Asmussen E, Klausen K, Nielson LE, Techow DSA, Tonder PJ (1974) Lactate production and anaerobic work capacity after prolonged exercise in man. Acta Physiol Scand 90: 731–742
Burke RK (1957) Relationships between physical performance and warm-up procedures of varying intensity and duration. Doctoral dissertation. University of Southern California
DeBruyn-Prevost P (1980) The effects of various warming up intensities and durations upon some physiological variables during an exercise corresponding to the WC, 70. Eur J Appl Physiol 43: 93–100
deVries H (1980) Physiology of exercise for physical education and athletics. Wm. C. Brown Co., Dubuque, Iowa, p 492
Gollnick PD, Armstrong RB, Saubert CW, Sembrowich WC, Shepherd RE, Saltin B (1973) Glycogen depletion patterns in human skeletal muscle fibers during prolonged work. Pflügers Arch 334: 1–12
Gollnick RD, Piehl K, Saltin B (1974) Selective glycogen depletion pattern in human muscle fibers after exercise of varying intensity and at varying pedal rates. J Physiol 241: 45–47
Gutmann I, Wahlefeld AW (1974) L-(+)-Lactate. Determination with lactate dehydrogenase and NAD. In: Bergmeyer HU (ed) Methods of enzymatic analysis, second english edn. Academic Press, New York, pp 1464–1468
Ingjer F, Stromme SB (1979) Effects of active, passive or no warm-up on the physiological response to heavy exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 40: 273–282
Jacobs I (1981) Lactate, muscle glycogen, and exercise performance in man. Acta Physiol Scand (Suppl 495) 112: 1–35
Karlsson J (1971a) Lactate and phosphagen concentrations in working muscle of man. Acta Physiol Scand (Suppl 358) 81: 1–72
Karlsson J (1971b) Lactate in working muscles after prolonged exercise. Acta Physiol Scand 82: 123–130
Karlsson J, Bonde-Peterson F, Henriksson J, Knuttgen HG (1975) Effects of previous exercise with arms or legs on metabolism and performance in exhaustive exercise. J Appl Physiol 38: 763–767
Klausen K, Knuttgen HG, Forster H (1972) Effect of preexisting high blood lactate concentration on maximal exercise performance. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 30: 415–419
Klausen K, Piehl K, Saltin B (1975) Muscle glycogen Stores and capacity for anaerobic work. In: Howald H, Poortmans J (eds) Metabolic adaptations to prolonged physical exercise. Birkhauser, Basel, pp 127–129
Knowlton RG, Miles DS, Sawka MN (1978) Metabolic responses of untrained individuals to wam-up. Eur J Appl Physiol 40: 1–5
Martin B, Robinson S, Wiegman D, Aulick L (1975) Effects of warm-up on the metabolic response to strenuous exercise. Med Sci Sports 7: 146–149
Maughan RJ, Poole DC (1981) The effects of a glycogen loading regimen on the capacity to perform anaerobic exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 46: 211–219
Saltin B, Hermansen L (1967) Glycogen stores and prolonged severe exercise. In: Blix G (ed) Symposia of the Swedish Nutrition Foundation, vol V. Almquist & Wiksell, Uppsala, pp 32–46
Scheele K, Herzog W, Ritthaler G, Wirth A, Weicker H (1979) Metabolic adaptations to prolonged exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 41: 101–108
Sedgewick AW (1964) Effect of actively increased muscle temperature on local muscular endurance. Res Q 35: 532–538
Sedgewick AW, Whalen HR (1964) Effect of passive warm-up on muscular strength and endurance. Res Q 35: 45–59
Sjodin B, Jacobs I (1981) Onset of blood lactate accumulation and marathon running performance. Int J Sports Med 2: 23–26
Stamford BA, Rowland R, Moffatt RJ (1978) Effects of severe prior exercise on assessment of maximal oxygen uptake. J Appl Physiol 44: 559–563
Taylor HL, Buskirk ER, Henschel A (1955) Maximal oxygen intake as an objective measure of cardio-respiratory performance. J Appl Physiol 8: 73–80
Weltman A, Stamford BA, Moffatt RJ, Katch VL (1977) Exercise recovery, lactate removal, and subsequent high intensity exercise performance. Res Q 48: 786–796
Weltman A, Stamford BA, Fulco C (1979) Recovery from maximal effort exercise: lactate disappearance and subsequent performance. J Appl Physiol 47: 677–682
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by the Graduate Research Council of the University of Louisville
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Genovely, H., Stamford, B.A. Effects of prolonged warm-up exercise above and below anaerobic threshold on maximal performance. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 48, 323–330 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430222
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430222