Myler, G. R., Hahn, A. G., & Timilty, D. M. (1989). The effect of preliminary skin cooling on performance of rowers in hot conditions. Excel, 6, 17-21.

It has been shown that efforts to cool the skin of an individual before a maximum performance when conditions are very hot also assists in elevating the standard of performance. Rowers were cooled with ice and water prior to performing in 30 degrees Celsius temperatures. Performance was increased by one percent while skin temperatures remained consistently cooler throughout the task.

Implication. If an athlete complains about being too hot prior to a performance, attempts to cool the skin, particularly over the large muscle areas, might serve as a stress-reducing and performance-enhancing action.

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