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Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(1): 49-54
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837503
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effect of an Acute Hot and Dry Exposure in Moderately Warm and Humid Environment on Muscle Performance at Different Times of Day

S. Racinais1 , K. Chamari2 , Y. Hachana2 , Z. Bartagi2 , S. Blonc1 , O. Hue1
  • 1Laboratoire A.C.T.E.S., UPRES-EA 3596, U.F.R. S.T.A.P.S. - U.A.G., Campus de Fouillole, Pointe-à-Pitre Cedex, France
  • 2Unité de Recherche «Evaluation, Sport, Santé» CNMSS (Centre National de la Médecine et des Sciences du Sport), BP 263 (TN) El Menzah, Tunisia
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 25, 2004

Publication Date:
11 April 2005 (online)

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Abstract

This study investigated whether 30 min of acute hot exposure has an additional passive warm-up effect for the improvement in muscle performance in a moderately warm and humid environment. We also sought to determine whether this effect is dependent on the diurnal variation in body temperature. Nine male subjects (age: 31.9 [± 5] years, height: 177 [± 6] cm, body mass: 69.3 [± 10] kg) were tested (CMJ, cycling sprints, and isokinetic contractions of the knee flexors and extensors) in a moderately warm and humid environment (24 [± 1] °C and 70 [± 4] % rh) with and without acute heat exposure (30 min of rest in a sauna at 76 [± 2] °C and 27 [± 1] % rh), both in the morning (07:00 - 09:00 h) and in the evening (17:00 - 19:00 h). Our results indicated a significant effect of both time-of-day and acute heat exposure on leg skin temperature (p < 0.01) but failed to show any effect of time-of-day or acute heat exposure on the various evaluated parameters (CMJ: speed, force, power and height; cycling power: over a half pedal revolution and a total pedal revolution; isokinetic torque: knee extensor and flexor muscles at 4.19 rad · s-1, 3.14 rad · s-1, 2.09 rad · s-1, and 1.05 rad · s-1). In conclusion, our data suggest that 30 min of acute hot exposure does not have any passive warm-up effect in a moderately warm and humid environment. Furthermore, the diurnal variation in body temperature has no passive warm-up effect in a moderately warm and humid or in an extremely hot environment.

Key words

Circadian rhythm - temperature - muscle power - anaerobic exercise

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O. Hue

Laboratoire A.C.T.E.S., UPRES-EA 3596, UFR STAPS - UAG,

Campus de Fouillole, BP 592

97159 Pointe-à-Pitre Cedex, Guadeloupe

France

Phone: + 33590489207

Fax: + 33 5 90 48 92 79

Email: hueo@wanadoo.fr