Effects of High-intensity Warm-ups on Running Performance

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of high-intensity warm-ups (WUs) on performance, physiological, neuromuscular and biomechanical parameters. Three randomized cross-over 105%vVO₂max time limit trials (TLimT) were performed by 11 well-trained runners following three different WU protocols. These included two experimental high-intensity variants and one control WU variant: (i) 9x20-sec level strides (105%vVO₂max; 1% gradient) with 60 s of recovery (level); (ii) 6x6-sec uphill strides (105%vVO₂max; 5% gradient), with the same recovery (uphill) and (iii) 7 min at 60%vVO₂max as control condition (control). The uphill and level WUs resulted in a greater performance during TLimT (160.0±6.62 s and 152.64±10.88 s, respectively) compared to control WUs (144.82±6.60 s). All WU conditions reduced the energy cost (EC) of running, respiratory exchange ratio, and step frequency (SF) after the experimental and control phases of WU, while blood lactate (BLC) increased in uphill and level WUs and decreased in control WUs. Changes in kinematic variables were found without differences between WU conditions during TLimT. BLC rose at conclusion of TLimT without differences between WU conditions. Both high-intensity WUs show a longer TLimT. EC is deteriorated after the high-intensity WU exercise due to a change of substrate utilization, increase of BLC and SF. A long transient phase (18 min) is necessary to avoid impairing the performance.

Key words

energy systems - running economy - pre-exercise - stiffness - priming

• References

• 1 Bailey S, Vanhatalo A, Wilkerson DP, DiMenna FJ, Jones AM. Optimizing the "priming" effect: Influence of prior exercise intensity and recovery duration on O2 uptake kinetics and severe-intensity exercise tolerance. J Appl Physiol 2009; 107: 1743-1756
• 2 Barnes K, Hopkins WG, McGuigan MR, Kilding AE. Warm-up with a weighted vest improves running performance via leg stiffness and running economy. J Sci Med Sport 2015; 18: 103-108
• 3 Bertuzzi R, Melegati J, Bueno S, Ghiarone T, Pasqua LA, Gáspari AF, Lima-Silva AE, Goldman A. GEDAE-LaB: A free software to calculate the energy system contributions during exercise. Plos one 2016; 11: e0145733
• 4 Billat V, Beillot J, Jan J, Rochcongar P, Carre F. Gender effect on the relationship of time limit at 100% VO2max with other bioenergetic characteristics. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996; 28: 1049-1055
• 5 Billat V, Blondel AN, Berthoin AS. Determination of the velocity associated with the longest time to exhaustion at maximal oxygen uptake. Eur J Appl Physiol 1999; 80: 159-161
• 6 Billat VL, Flechet B, Petit B, Muriaux G, Koralsztein JP. Interval training at VO2max: Effects on aerobic performance and overtraining markers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999; 31: 156-163
• 7 Bishop D. Warm up I. Potential mechanism and the effects of passive warm up on exercise performance. Sports Med 2003; 33: 439-454
• 8 Burnley M, Doust JH, Carter H, Jones AM. Effects of prior exercise and recovery duration on oxygen uptake kinetics during heavy exercise in humans. Exp Physiol 2001; 86: 417-425
• 9 Burnley M, Davison G, Baker JR. Effects of priming exercise on VO₂ kinetics and the power-duration relationship. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011; 43: 2171-2179
• 10 Collins MH, Pearsall DJ, Zavorsky GS, Bateni H, Turcotte RA, Montgomery DL. Acute effects of intense interval training on running mechanics. J Sport Sci 2000; 18: 83-90
• 11 Conley DL, Krahenbuhl GS. Running economy and distance running performance of highly trained athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1980; 12: 357-360
• 12 Dutto DJ, Smith GA. Changes in spring-mass characteristics during treadmill running to exhaustion. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002; 34: 1324-1331
• 13 Farley CT, Gonzalez O. Leg stiffness and stride frequency in human running. J Biomech 1996; 29: 181-186
• 14 Ferley D, Osborn R, Vukovich M. The effects of uphill vs. level-grade high-intensity interval training on VO2max, VMax, VLT and TMax in well-trained distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 2013; 27: 1549-1559
• 15 Fletcher J, Esau SP, Maclntosh BR. Economy of running: Beyond the measurement of oxygen uptake. J Appl Physiol 2009; 107: 1918-1922
• 16 Fourchet F, Girard O, Kelly L, Horobeanu C, Millet GP. Changes in leg spring behaviour, plantar loading and foot mobility magnitude induced by an exhaustive treadmill run in adolescent middle-distance runners. J Sci Med Sport 2015; 18: 199-203
• 17 Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Standards for ethics in sport and exercise science research: 2018 update.. Int J Sports Med 2017; 38: 1126-1131
• 18 Hayes P, Caplan N. Leg stiffness decreases during a run to exhaustion at the speed at O2max. Eur J Sport Sci 2014; 14: 556-562
• 19 Hoff J, Støren Ø, Finstad A, Wang E, Helgerud J. Increased blood lactate level deteriorates running economy in World class endurance athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 1373-1378
• 20 Ingham S, Fudge BW, Pringle JS, Jones AM. Improvement of 800-m running performance with prior high-intensity exercise. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2013; 8: 77-83
• 21 Jones AM, Carter H. The effect of endurance training on parameters of aerobic fitness. Sports Med 2000; 29: 373-386
• 22 Jones AM, Wilkerson DP, Burnley M, Koppo K. Prior heavy exercise enhances performance during subsequent perimaximal exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003; 35: 2085-2092
• 23 Koppo K, Bouckaert J. The decrease in the VO2 slow component induced by prior exercise does not affect the time to exhaustion. Int J Sports Med 2002; 23: 262-267
• 24 Lacour JR, Bouvat E, Barthelemy JC. Post-competition blood lactate concentrations as indicators of anaerobic energy expenditure during 400-m and 800-m races. Eur J Appl Physiol 1990; 61: 172-176
• 25 Lucia A, Esteve-Lanao J, Olivan J, Gómez-Gallego F, San Juan AF, Santiago C, Pérez M, Chamorro-Viña C, Foster C. Physiological characteristics of the best Eritrean runners-exceptional running economy. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2006; 31: 530-540
• 26 Lussiana T, Fabre N, Hébert-Losier K, Mourot L. Effect of slope and footwear on running economy and kinematics. Scand J Med Sci 2013; 23: 246-253
• 27 McGowan CJ, Pyne DB, Thompson KG, Rattray B. Warm-up strategies for sport and exercise: mechanisms and applications. Sports Med 2015; 45: 1523-1546
• 28 Morin J, Dalleau G, Kyolainen H, Jeannin T, Belli A. A simple method for measuring stiffness during running. J Appl Biomech 2005; 21: 167-180
• 29 Paavolainen L, Hakkinen K, Hamalainen I, Nummela A, Rusko H. Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. J Appl Physiol 1999; 86: 1527-1533
• 30 Skof B, Strojnik V. The effect of two warm-up protocols on some biomechanical parameters of the neuromuscular system of middle distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 2007; 21: 394-399
• 31 Smith CE, Hannon JC, McGladrey B, Shultz B, Eisenman P, Lyons B. The effects of a postactivation potentiation warm-up on subsequent sprint performance. Hum Mov 2014; 15: 33-41
• 32 Sousa A, Ribeiro J, Sousa M, Vilas-Boas JP, Fernandes RJ. Influence of prior exercise on VO2 kinetics subsequent exhaustive rowing performance. PloS one 2014; 9: e84208
• 33 Swanson SC, Caldwell GE. An integrated biomechanical analysis of high speed incline and level treadmill running. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32: 1146-1155
• 34 Takizawa K, Yamaguchi T, Shibata K. Warm-up exercises may not be so important for enhancing submaximal running performance. J Strength Cond Res 2018; 32: 1383-1390
• 35 Tartaruga MP, Brisswalter J, Peyré-Tartaruga LA, Vargas Ávila AO, Alberton CL, Coertjens M, Cadore EL, Tiggemann CL, Marczwski Silva E, Martins Kruel LF. The relationship between running economy and biomechanical variables in distance runners. Res Q Exercise Sport 2012; 83: 367-375
• 36 Verbeke G, Molenberghs G. Linear Mixed Models for Longitudinal Data. New York: Springer Series in Statistics; 2000
• 37 Winter EM, Jones AM, Davison R, Bromley PD, Mercer TH. Sport and exercise physiology testing. The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Guide. In: James D, Sandals LE, Wood DM, Jones A. (eds.) Pulmonary gas exchange. London and New York: Routledge; 2008: 101-111
• 38 Wittekind A, Beneke R. Effect of warm-up on run time to exhaustion. J Sci Med Sport 2009; 12: 480-484
• 39 Zavorsky GS, Montgomery DL, Pearsall DJ. Effect of intense interval workouts on running economy using three recovery durations. Eur J Appl Physiol 1998; 77: 224-230