Effect of precooling and prewarming on endurance performance and blood lactate concentration

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate and compare the effect of precooling & prewarming on endurance performance, Vo2max & blood lactate concentration at an ambient temperature of 30-320C.
Methodology: 15 young healthy untrained university male subjects were exposed to pre-exercise rest (control), pre-cooling (160C±20C) & pre-warming (380C±20C) intervention by full body water immersion method for 20 minutes, following which VO2max, endurance performance was determined by Queen’s college step test and treadmill running at pre determined heart rate (Karvonen’s formula) respectively. Three minute after point of exhaustion blood samples were taken for blood lactate analysis, Rate of perceived exertion was measured by BORG’S scale.
Results: There was significant decrease in post blood lactate accumulation after precooling, when compared with control condition (t=5.04, p<0.001) and with pre-warming group (t=8.72, p<0.001). Non–significant differences was noted in pre-warming group on comparison with control conditions (t=0.96). There was a significant improvement in VO2max after precooling on comparison with control conditions (t=6.31, p<0.001) and with prewarming (t=10.37, p<0.001), prewarming group showed significant decrease on comparison with control condition (t=6.23, p<0.001). A significant improvement in the time to exhaustion after pre-cooling on comparison with control conditions (t=5.72, p<0.001) and there was a decrease with prewarming (t=5.20, p<0.001) & significant improvement in the distance traveled after precooling on comparison with control condition (t=6.33, p<0.001) and a decrease with prewarming (t=7.14, p<0.001) was noted.
Conclusion: Precooling decreases post exercise blood lactate accumulation, improves VO2max and endurance performance, and prewarming is not effective for endurance performance, have a negative effect on VO2max and also it is not effective in reducing post blood lactate accumulation.

Key words:

Precooling, prewarming, blood lactate, endurance performance & VO2max.