Influence of Warm-Up Prior to Incremental Exercise Test on Aerobic Performance in Physically Active Men

Introduction. The aim of the study was to verify the influence of warm-up before a ramp incremental exercise test with linearly increasing loads on the maximal values of physiological variables which determine performance.

Material and methods. Thirteen healthy and physically active male students (age = 23.3 ± 1.5 years, body height = 179.1 ± 8.6 cm and body mass = 79.5 ± 9.1 kg) completed a cross-over comparison of two incremental exercise test interventions – an incremental exercise test with a 15-minute warm-up at an intensity of 60% of the maximal oxygen uptake obtained in the first incremental exercise test and the same test without warm-up.

Results. The peak values of physiological variables were statistically significantly higher for the incremental exercise test with warm-up, the differences between tests being 2.66% for peak power output (p = 0.039, t = 2.312, ES = 0.24), 7.75% for peak oxygen uptake (p = 0.000, t = 5.225, ES = 0.56), 7.72% for peak minute ventilation (p = 0.005, t = 3.346, ES = 0.53) and 1.62% for peak heart rate (p = 0.019, t = 2.690, ES = 0.60).

Conclusions. Warm-up before a ramp incremental exercise test resulted in higher values of maximal oxygen uptake, maximal minute ventilation, maximal heart rate and peak power output.