Metabolic and performance effects of warm‐up intensity on sprint cycling

<jats:p>Warm‐up is generally considered beneficial for performance, although the reduction in anaerobic glycolytic metabolism may be detrimental to sprinting. This study examined the effect of warm‐up intensity on metabolism and performance in sprint cycling. The mean power was determined during a 1‐min sprint on 11 trained males preceded by easy (WE), moderate (WM) or hard (WH) warm‐up and a 10‐min recovery. Aerobic, anaerobic glycolytic and phosphocreatine energy provision to the sprint was determined from oxygen uptake and lactate production. Blood lactate concentration before the sprint increased with the warm‐up intensity (WE: 1.2±0.3; WM: 2.0±0.3; WH: 4.2±0.9 mmol/L, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic>&lt;0.001), with WH reducing the increase in lactate production during exercise vs WE (WE: 11.6±1.6; WM: 10.9±1.9; WH: 9.2±1.4 mmol/L, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic>&lt;0.05). Despite the lower relative anaerobic glycolytic energy provision in WH vs WE (WH: 38±5; WM: 36±6; WE: 34±3%, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic>&lt;0.05), the mean power was unaffected (WE: 516±28; WM: 521±26; WH: 526±34 W, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic>&gt;0.05) due to increased oxygen uptake in WH during the sprint (WE: 3.2±0.4; WM: 3.3±0.3; WH: 3.4±0.4 liters, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic>&lt;0.05). This study supports a warm‐up‐induced reduction in glycolytic rate, although sprint performance, at least of a long duration, may be maintained due to increased oxygen utilization.</jats:p>