Acute Effects of Intermittent Foot Cooling on 1 RM Leg Press Strength in Resistance-Trained Men: A Pilot Study
Wu, C. M., Lee, M. H., Wang, W. Y., & Cai, Z. Y. (2021). Acute Effects of Intermittent Foot Cooling on 1 RM Leg Press Strength in Resistance-Trained Men: A Pilot Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(18), 9594. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189594
Introduction: Inter-set peripheral cooling can improve high-intensity resistance exercise performance. However, whether foot cooling (FC) would increase 1 repetition maximum (RM) lower-limb strength is unclear. This study investigated the effect of intermittent FC on 1 RM leg press strength.
Methods: Ten recreational male lifters performed three attempts of 1 RM leg press with FC or non-cooling (NC) in a repeated-measures crossover design separated by 5 days. FC was applied by foot immersion in 10 °C water for 2.5 min before each attempt. During the 1 RM test, various physiological measures were recorded.
Results: The results showed that FC elicited higher 1 RM leg press strength (Δ [95% CI]; Cohen’s d effect size [ES]; 13.6 [7.6–19.5] kg; ES = 1.631) and electromyography values in vastus lateralis (57.7 [8.1–107.4] μV; ES = 0.831) and gastrocnemius (15.1 [−3.1–33.2] μV; ES = 0.593) than in NC. Higher arousal levels (felt arousal scale) were found in FC (0.6 [0.1–1.2]; ES = 0.457) than in NC.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the preliminary findings, although limited, suggest intermittent FC has a potential ergogenic role for recreational athletes to enhance maximal lower-limb strength and may partly benefit strength-based competition events.
Keywords: electromyography; arousal; muscle strength; immersion; quadriceps muscle
In Simple Terms:
This study tested if cooling the feet before trying a max leg press could help people lift more. When feet were cooled in cold water, participants lifted heavier weight and showed stronger muscle activity. They also felt more alert. Foot cooling may help boost strength for short, heavy efforts.
Uploaded by Braeden Ostepchuk, creator of the CEU-approved course 0th Law of Physiology, co-founder of Kuhler Technologies, and inventor of Kühler.