The influence of competition-specific endurance priming on sprint time-trial performance in cross-country skiing

Abstract Purpose This study investigated the influence of including a competition-specific high-intensity endurance priming bout during warm-up on sprint time-trial (TT) performance in roller-ski skating among cross-country (XC) skiers. Methods Twelve national-level XC skiers (2 women) completed two different warm-up protocols in counterbalanced order on two consecutive days. At each test day, the warm-ups were followed by two 1.2-km sprint TTs (TT1 and TT2) separated by 30 min of active recovery. Both warm-up protocols consisted of five laps at low to moderate intensities followed by a final lap including either a ~ 2-min high-intensity competition-specific priming (PRIM) or low-intensity exercise (TRAD). Speed and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously while rating of perceived exertion (RPE; Borg 6–20), perceived readiness and technical quality (scale 1–10) were assessed after warm-ups and TTs. After day two, participants rated how they perceived each warm-up in preparing them for performance. Results Performance did not differ between TRAD and PRIM in TT1 (169.8 ± 18.4 vs. 169.6 ± 17.2 s, P = .885) or TT2 (166.6 ± 16.1 vs. 168.9 ± 16.8 s, P = .105). Within TRAD, performance improved in TT2 vs. TT1 (166.6 ± 16.1 vs. 169.8 ± 18.4 s, P = .008), accompanied with higher HR (175 ± 6 vs. 173 ± 6 beats·min⁻ 1 , P = .005), RPE (18.7 ± 0.9 vs. 18.0 ± 0.9, P = .033) and perceived technical quality (7.7 ± 1.0 vs. 6.8 ± 1.4, P = .031). No differences between TTs were observed within PRIM. Athletes perceived PRIM as more beneficial in preparing them to perform than TRAD (8.0 ± 1.5 vs. 4.6 ± 1.6, P = .003). Conclusion Including a competition-specific high-intensity priming bout during warm-up did not enhance sprint TT performance compared to a traditional warm-up but was perceived as more beneficial in preparing the skiers to perform.