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Warming Up Body and Mind: Combined Cognitive and Exercise Priming Improves 1-Mile Time Trial Performance in
Hannah Mortimer1, Neil Dallaway1, Jesús Díaz-García2
1School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Combined cognitive and physical warmups enhance running performance more than physical warmups alone. These combined approaches improve 1-mile time trial results by increasing readiness and reducing perceived effort.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Standard physical warmups are common in sports.
- The impact of combined cognitive and physical warmups on running performance remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of combined (physical and cognitive) warmups versus standard physical-only warmups on 1-mile time trial performance in runners.
Main Methods:
- Experienced recreational runners (n=25) participated in three counter-balanced sessions.
- Warmups included: physical only, physical plus low cognitive load, and physical plus high cognitive load.
- Performance was assessed via a 1-mile time trial, with measurements of readiness, perceived exertion, heart rate, and running kinematics.
Main Results:
- Both combined warmups significantly improved 1-mile time trial performance by 2%-3% (8-11 seconds) compared to the physical-only warmup.
- Combined warmups led to increased readiness to perform, reduced perceived exertion, lower heart rate, and decreased perceived mental fatigue.
- Interleaving cognitive tasks with physical activities enhanced performance outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Combined cognitive and physical warmups are superior to physical-only warmups for improving 1-mile running performance.
- These integrated warmups prime athletes for faster running by enhancing readiness and mitigating perceived effort.
- The findings support the use of combined warmups to optimize athletic performance in running events.
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