The effects of intermittent warm-up on 7-9 year-old boys

Twelve boys, 7-9 years old, who, by use of questionnaires, were found to be ignorant of the concept of "warm-up", performed maximal aerobic and anaerobic tasks 4 min after completing a 15 min intermittent warm-up (WU) (30 sec treadmill run, 30 sec pause). The WU required some 60% of the individual's VO2max, and raised rectal temp. by 0.52 +/- 0.19 degrees C. The aerobic criterion task (CT) was a one-stage bicycle ride at a load predetermined to exhaust the subject after 4 min. The anaerobic CT was a 30 sec all-out ride against resistance of 35 gm/kg BW. Subjects also performed both CT's without any WU. VO2max (aerobic CT), HRmax, as well as total mechanical work output achieved during the aerobic CT, were significantly higher with WU, compared with the non-WU sessions. During the anaerobic CT total revolutions, total power output, as well as peak HR, were significantly higher following WU. It is suggested that the benefits of intermittent WU, as used in this study in young children, can be attributed to physiological rather than psychological mechanisms.