Whole body active warm up and inspiratory muscle warm up do not improve running performance when carrying thoracic loads

Whole body active warm ups (AWU) and inspiratory muscle warm up (IMW) prior to exercise improves performance on some endurance exercise tasks. This study investigated the effects of AWU with and without IMW upon 2.4 km running time-trial performance while carrying a 25 kg backpack, a common task and backpack load in physically demanding occupations. Participants (n = 9) performed five 2.4 km running time-trials with a 25 kg thoracic load preceded in random order by 1) IMW comprising 2 x 30 inspiratory efforts against a pressure-threshold load of 40 % maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax), 2) 10 min unloaded running (AWU) at lactate turnpoint (10.33 ± 1.58 km·h-1), 3) placebo IMW (PLA) comprising five min breathing using a sham device, 4) AWU+IMW and 5) AWU+PLA. Pooled baseline PImax was similar between trials and increased by 7% and 6% following IMW and AWU+IMW (P<0.05). Relative to baseline, pooled PImax was reduced by 9% after the time-trial, which was not different between trials (P>0.05). Time-trial performance was not different between any trials. Whole body AWU and IMW performed alone or combination have no ergogenic effect upon high intensity, short duration performance when carrying a 25 kg load in a backpack.

Archived with thanks to Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism