ABSTRACT
Preliminary “warm-up” strategies are often used to promote an increase in temperature of the core and working muscles, an elevation in cardiovascular and respiratory functioning and neuromuscular rehearsal of the subsequent performance (DeVries and Housh, 1994). Physiological changes resulting from pre-exercise warming protocols (e.g., increased body temperature and body water loss) have, however, been shown to reduce the capacity to perform prolonged periods of continuous (Gonzalez-AIonso et al., 1999; Gregson et al., 2002b) and intermittent (Gregson et al., 2002a) exercise in ambient temperatures of 21-22°C. These changes in prolonged exercise capacity are suggested to be mediated through mechanisms associated with the earlier development of high internal body temperature and/or alterations in the body’s capacity to store heat (Gonzalez-Alonso et al., 1999; Gregson et al., 2002a; Gregson et al., 2002b).
