The Effect of Three Precooling Methods on Endurance Performance in Active Men

The study aimed to compare the effect of three precooling techniques (internal, external, and combined) on the time to reach exhaustion in active men. Eight active men (23 ± 2 yrs; 178 ± 6 cm; 73 ± 11 kg) participated] in 4 exhaustive test sessions with a minimum power output of 40Wmax. Sessions included consumption of 7.5 grams of ice water with a temperature of -1 degree per kilogram of body weight, cold towels (4-6°C) used to cool the skin surface], a combination of ice water consumption and a towel cooling, and a control session in which subjects cycled to reach exhaustion without any cooling techniques. Data was analyzed using a mixed-method (treatment time) repeated-measures ANOVA was with significance accepted at p<0.05. The skin surface temperature in the combined session and towel session was significantly lower than the ice session (p<0.001). The central temperature in the combined and ice slurry sessions was significantly lower at the beginning and end of the activity compared to the towel session (p<0.01). Exhaustion time and distance traveled in the combined session were significantly longer compared to the ice slurry and control sessions (p<0.01). In the towel session, exhaustion time was significantly greater] than the control session (p <0.04). The rate of sweating in the ice slurry session was significantly lower than the control session (p <0.01). The perception of pressure in the combined session was significantly lower than the ice slurry and control sessions (p<0.05). The results indicate that a combination of two techniques (internal and external cooling) can have a greater effect on measures of endurance performance.