In a previous post I talked about the effect of muscle temperature on performance testing and how extended warm-ups can mitigate the effects of diurnal variation on power output.

Let’s take this one step further, the importance of temperature in performance is supported by loads of data from heating and cooling experiments, which have demonstrated that maximal anaerobic power declines by 5 % for every 1 ° C drop in muscle temperature.

So what does this mean? Well those of you that are involved in sports particularly winter sports need to ask questions about windows of heat loss and how you may close them.

A great place to start, given the last post is around your warm-up. How effective is it in elevating muscle temperature? What are my strategies to reduce heat loss between the warm-up and the game commencing? What are the strategies for my bench players? What does half time look like?

For a good read in this area look at the work of Liam Kilduff.