The Physiology of Warming Up: Why is it so critical for optimal cyclingperformance?

Tuesday, June 18, 2002 12:01:00 PM PT

The Physiology of Warming UpWhy is a warm-up so critical for optimal cycling performance?By Bruce KetchumPre-event activity, or warm-up, is an integral part of most cyclists’ preparation for competition. Each has his or her ownunique routine to follow in order to be mentally and physically prepared for the event. Some find a warm-up essential inorder to perform at their very best, while others don’t bother with one and jump into races with seeming ease. Surprisingly,there is only limited scientific investigation into the effects of exercise warm-up. In any case, whether the science is thereor not, you will be hard pressed to find a competitive cyclist who will argue that warming up is not important. Physicalactivity in the minutes leading up to an event, be it light or heavy, will result in a number of physiological changes whichare likely to enhance athletic performance. Let’s look a little closer at this.Stimulate enzyme activityWith the onset of physical activity, muscular contractions will generate more heat than at rest. This increase in muscletemperature has been found to improve the necessary chemical reactions that make a muscle contract. The acceleratedmetabolic processes within a muscle cell enables the muscle to contract more quickly and with a greater degree of force(4).One particular mechanism behind this response is greater enzyme activity. Enzymes are small protein molecules that playan important biological role in enhancing the rate of biochemical reactions. It is well known that these reactions are verysensitive to temperature change. In fact, it’s a standard test-tube lesson in high school chemistry class. An increase intemperature equivalent to 10 degrees Celsius will cause a doubling of the rate of enzyme reaction. This is known as the“Q10 effect.”Be careful, though. You can get too warmed up. Normal body temperature is approximately 37 degrees C. If bodytemperature exceeds 40 degrees, a decrease in the efficiency of aerobic metabolism can occur since very extremetemperatures can inhibit enzyme activity (1,2). This emphasizes the need for good hydration and other cooling techniquesduring hot, humid conditions to maximize cycling performance.Open blood vessels furtherMany of the small blood vessels that supply muscle tissues are constricted at rest. Physical activity opens or dilates thesevessels, increasing blood flow through the muscles. As most know, this enhanced blood flow increases oxygen andnutrient delivery and improves waste removal.Timing is importantExercise performed at a given intensity requires about 10 minutes of continuous activity for a muscle to reach anincreased, stable temperature. With that in mind, your warm-up should be a minimum of 10 minutes in duration (1).Time your warm-up so that you only have to stand around for a few minutes before the start of your event. Having to waitmore than five minutes may cause your muscles to cool down too much and allow blood vessels to tighten up again.Warm up specificallyIt’s very important to warm up specifically to your sport to get a proper warm-up. For the cyclist, warming up on the bike isthe best way to prepare your muscles for the race. In fact, not warming up specifically may even have a detrimental effect.For example, warming up the wrong muscles while running, let’s say, will shut down the necessary muscles for cycling.The body does this so that more oxygen and nutrients are diverted to the working tissues.Blood works better when warmed upInterestingly, as body temperature increases, so does the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen. The altered environment theactive muscle cells create around themselves actually causes passing blood in the adjacent vessels to release moreoxygen. The muscle cells generate heat, and also decrease the pH (more acidic) by releasing lactic acid and carbondioxide, which in turn both release hydrogen ions. Increased heat and a higher acidic environment allow more oxygenmolecules to dissociate or be released from hemoglobin, the oxygen-transporter protein found in red blood cells (3).For the same reason, myoglobin, the oxygen-transporter protein found in muscle cells, also is better able to deliveroxygen molecules from the cell’s surface to its engines, the mitochondria, when the muscle is warmed up.When is a warm-up not necessary?The shorter a race is, the more important a warm-up is. Any criterium or time-trial will need a proper warm-up. But, verylong road race events may not necessitate a good warm-up and may even be detrimental. In long events, a quick andefficient start is not nearly as important. Most long road races typically start out slowly for the first miles. This slow startcan replace your warm-up, allowing you to conserve energy - often the limiting factor in the later stages of any long race.Some races may have a controlled start until you pass a more dangerous road section or leave the boundaries of a town.If you know the start is controlled, you may be able to forego your warm-up to save calories. However, make sure there