Warm-up enhances body's perfromance

Sydney, April 24 (IANS) Performing low-load luteal muscle exercises involving the buttocks boosts strength and power in the lower body, especially before a workout.

"Exercises of this nature are likely to be more acceptable to the athlete and coach than are protocols incorporating heavier loads because of a lower risk of athlete fatigue and minimal equipment requirements," said Justin Crow from La Trobe's School of Physiotherapy who led the study.

The researchers tested the effect of warm-up exercises on a group of elite Australian Football League (AFl) players to enhance performance.

"We found that body-weight gluteal exercises increase explosiveness in your lower half," said Crow in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

The researchers then compared three warm-up methods on AFl players, including the low-load exercise protocol squatting on a whole-body vibration machine and a control protocol where athletes did no warm-up, according to a La Trobe statement.

"Coaches may consider this protocol when preparing athletes for competition or training in sports involving explosive lower limb movements such as jumping, sprinting, and some weight-lifting movements," said Crow.