Does the addition of lower-body aerobic exercise as a warm-up improve upper-body resistance training performance more than a specific warm-up alone?

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether the addition of lower-body aerobic exercise as a warm-up (LGW) improves upper-body resistance training (RT) performance more than a specific warm-up (SW) alone and to investigate whether maximal muscular strength modulates the performance-enhancing effect of LGW. Design: Randomized crossover design. Methods: Fourteen male participants performed 3 sets of 80%1RM bench press under two warm-up conditions. In one condition , the participants performed only a SW for the bench press exercise. In the other condition (LGW + SW), the participants performed cycling for 20 minutes and the SW for the bench press exercise. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the total number of repetitions (REPTOTAL) and the mean propul-sive velocity (MPV) of the barbell during the concentric phase between the SW and LGW + SW. Also, 1RM did not modulate the relationship between SW and LGW + SW for REPTOTAL and maximum MPV among all sets. Conclusion: This study suggests that the LGW in addition to the SW does not have large additional effects on performance during upper-body RT. In addition, maximal muscular strength does not modulate the performance-enhancing effect of the LGW on upper-body RT performed at 80%1RM.