Pedrosa B; Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Daucourt C; Gremeaux V; Duscha BD; Coyne BJ; Kraus WE; Maletesta D; Borrani F; Baggish AL; Neyroud D

The impact of warm-up protocols on peak oxygen uptake (Vo2peak) during
cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) remains unclear. This study
investigated the effect of warm-ups of different durations and intensities
on Vo2peak in healthy young adults during maximal-effort CPET cycle
ergometry.
Recreationally active participants (10 males, 4 females; 27 +/-
4 yr) performed five CPETs, each preceded by one of five randomized
conditions: 1) no warm-up (NWU), 2) short-duration/low-intensity (SD/LI)
warm-up (5 min at 0.5 W.kg-1), 3) long-duration/low-intensity (LD/LI)
warm-up (10 min at 0.5 W.kg-1), 4) short-duration/moderate-intensity
(SD/MI) warm-up (5 min at 1 W.kg-1), and 5) a long-duration/moderate-intensity
(LD/MI) warm-up (10 min at 1 W.kg-1).
No significant differences were found in Vo2peak, peak heart rate, maximal,
or submaximal power output across the different warm-up protocols (P >
0.05 for all comparisons), except for greater absolute HR and power output
observed at the first ventilatory threshold (VT1) following SD/MI versus
NWU (P < 0.05). Participant ratings of warm-up protocols indicated a
preference for shorter- and/or lower-intensity warm-ups.
Among healthy young adults, the inclusion of warm-up exercise before CPET has no
significant effects on maximal exercise parameters. These findings
question the necessity of warm-up before CPET and provide flexibility in
CPET warm-up protocol selection in this population. Recapitulation of this
study in alternative clinical and scientific populations is warranted.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY The impact of warm-up intensity and duration before maximal
effort cardiopulmonary exercise testing remains uncertain. Herein, we
investigated the effect of a 5- versus 10-min warm-up performed at low or
moderate intensity on maximal oxygen consumption. Compared with no
warm-up, these different warm-ups yielded similar peak oxygen uptake, peak
heart rate, and peak power output, thereby challenging the convention