The Role of Specific Warm-up during Bench Press and Squat Exercises: A Novel Approach.

Bruno Ribeiro,António C Sousa,Ana Pereira,Ricardo Ferraz,Pedro P Neves,Mário C Marques,Henrique P Neiva,Daniel A Marinho

doi:10.3390/ijerph17186882

Abstract

The current study aims to verify the effects of three specific warm-ups on squat and bench press resistance training. Forty resistance-trained males (19–30 years) performed 3 × 6 repetitions with 80% of maximal dynamic strength (designated as training load) after one of the following warm-ups (48 h between): (i) 2 × 6 repetitions with 40% and 80% of the training load (WU), (ii) 6 × 80% of training load (WU80), or (iii) 6 × 40% of the training load (WU40). Mean propulsive velocity (MPV), velocity loss (VL), peak velocity (PV), time to achieve PV, power, work, heart rates, and ratings of perceived exertion were analyzed. In squat exercises, higher MPV were found in WU80 compared with WU40 (2nd set: 0.69 ± 0.09 vs. 0.67 ± 0.06 m.s−1, p = 0.02, ES = 0.80; 3rd set: 0.68 ± 0.09 vs. 0.66 ± 0.07 m.s−1, p = 0.05, ES = 0.51). In bench press exercises, time to PV was lower in WU compared with WU40 (1st set: 574.77 ± 233.46 vs. 694.50 ± 211.71 m.s−1, p < 0.01, ES = 0.69; 2nd set: 533.19 ± 272.22 vs. 662.31 ± 257.51 m.s−1, p = 0.04, ES = 0.43) and total work was higher (4749.90 ± 1312.99 vs. 4631.80 ± 1355.01 j, p = 0.01, ES = 0.54). The results showed that force outputs were mainly optimized by WU80 in squat training and by WU in bench press training. Moreover, warming-up with few repetitions and low loads is not enough to optimize squat and bench press performances.

Highlights

Warm-up has been identified as essential to maximizing the athlete’s performance in different sports and physical activities [1]
The participants were able to perform the squat exercises at higher Mean propulsive velocity (MPV) values after WU80, comparing to WU40
The minimal value of MPV in WU40 showed lower values when compared with the other warm-ups during the second set (F = 25.23, p < 0.001, ηp 2 = 0.66)

Summary

Introduction

Warm-up has been identified as essential to maximizing the athlete’s performance in different sports and physical activities [1]. The activities performed before the main competition event or training session seem to increase body temperature and, in this way, cause the athlete to benefit from decreased stiffness, increased nerve conduction rate, and increased metabolic efficiency [2,3]. Little is known regarding the effect of different warm-ups in some other specific activities, such as resistance training [7,8,9]. Each athlete is used to warming-up before any resistance training in order to obtain higher performance levels in every single session [8,9]

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Discussion

Conclusion