Abstract
Introduction: We recently demonstrated that cold water immersion (CWI) facilitates improved performance recovery following high-intensity cycling compared with hot water immersion and passive recovery. The present study aimed to compare the effect of CWI with active recovery (ACT) on cycling performance. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the effects of these recovery interventions on resting arm and leg blood flow. Methods: Ten endurance trained male cyclists volunteered to participate (age: 33.4 ± 5.13 years; VO2 peak 66.7 ± 6.1 ml/(kg min)). Subjects underwent two testing sessions (CWI and ACT), which were separated by 7 days, in a random order. At each session subjects initially performed a 30 min bout of high-intensity cycling that included 15 min of steady state cycling followed by a 15 min maximal time-trial. They then completed one of the two recovery interventions: CWI: 15 min full body immersion (excluding head and neck) in cold water (15 °C); ACT: 15 min cycling at 40% peak power. Forty minutes following recovery, subjects repeated the 30 min bout of high-intensity cycling, including the 15 min time-trial. Resting limb blood flow was measured at baseline, following the cycling time-trial and again following the recovery intervention using strain gauge plethysmography. Results/conclusions: Total work during the time trial fell from 493 ± 59 kJ to 484 ± 59 kJ when subjects performed the ACT recovery, whereas time-trial performance was maintained (490 ± 58 to 490 ± 60 kJ) with CWI recovery. Resting blood flow to the arms and legs was elevated immediately after the initial bout of high-intensity cycling; it then decreased to a greater extent following CWI (leg: 72%, arm: 91%) compared with ACT (leg: 40%, arm: 33%). Core temperature was lower following CWI than ACT. These data suggest that the positive influence of CWI as a recovery intervention is associated with a reduction in body temperature and altered limb blood flow.
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