Palm cooling temperatures on thermal, physiological, perceptual, and ergogenic indices from rowing workouts in a thermoneutral environment

Gel pack temperatures were compared for responses to thermal, physiological, perceptual, and ergogenic indices from healthy women (n = 12) and men (n = 8). They did three rowing workouts to identify an ideal temperature. In a randomised sequence, and as subjects wore gloves equipped with mesh pouches during workouts, gel packs at one of the three average temperatures (10.6, 12.6, or 14.9 degrees C) were inserted into the pouches. Data were collected before, during and after multi-stage workouts. Thermal, physiological, and perceptual data were each compared with three-factor (condition, gender, time) mixed effect model ANCOVAs, with repeated measures for condition and time, and gender as a between subjects' factor. Distance rowed was assessed with two-factor (condition, gender) mixed effect model ANCOVAs, with repeated measures for condition, and gender as a between subjects' factor. Within-subject contrasts was the post-hoc, and alpha = 0.05 denoted significance. Despite small differences for distance rowed, many dependent variables had significant inter-condition effects, whereby 10.6 degrees C gel packs had the best thermal and physiological responses. The 10.6 degrees C temperature 1): likely removed the most body heat, perhaps through cold-induced vasodilation and, 2): may be optimal, as it evoked the best thermal and physiological responses.