Resumen de The Effect of Warm-up Running Technique on Sprint Performance
María H. Gil, Henrique P. Neiva, Ana R. Alves, António C. Sousa, Ricardo Ferraz, Mario C. Marques, Daniel A. Marinho
The purpose of the current study was to analyze the effect of changing the running technique during warm-up on sprint performances, running biomechanics, physiological, and psychophysiological responses. Thirty-one physically active men aged 18-23 years (mean +/- SD: 19.35 +/- 1.08 years of age; 1.77 +/- 0.07 m of height; 71.90 +/- 10.37 kg of body mass) volunteered to participate and randomly performed 2 maximal 30-m sprints, 5 minutes after completing a warm-up focused on increased stride length-SL (WUL) or a warm-up focused on increased stride frequency-SF (WUF). The results showed that there were no differences between the 30-m sprint performances and in running biomechanics. However, WUF showed increased performances in the first 15 m of the race (WUF: 2.59 +/- 0.11 seconds vs. WUL: 2.63 +/- 0.15 seconds; p = 0.03), and WUL resulted in higher performances in the last 15 m (1.94 +/- 0.19 seconds vs. 1.88 +/- 0.09 seconds; p = 0.05). In the second 30-m time trial, WUF also resulted in faster starting 15 m of the race (2.58 +/- 0.12 seconds vs. 2.63 +/- 0.16 seconds; p = 0.04). Interestingly, the WUF was the warm-up that revealed more stability in performances and running biomechanics between both trials. These results showed that there were no significant differences between warm-ups comprising exercises focusing in higher SL or higher SF in 30-m sprint biomechanics and performance. Nevertheless, different running strategies were caused by those 2 warm-ups and a more stabilized running pattern, and performance values were found when warm-up focused on higher SF.
