Effects of inspiratory muscle Pre-activation on 100 m sprint performance in physically active university students

Introduction Inspiratory muscle function may influence high-intensity exercise through mechanical stabilization and fatigue-related mechanisms. Inspiratory muscle pre-activation has been proposed as an ergogenic strategy; however, its effectiveness in short-duration sprint performance remains unclear. This study examined the acute effects of inspiratory muscle pre-activation on 100 m sprint performance in physically active university students. Methodology A within-subject, quasi-experimental design was employed with 25 participants performing two warm-up conditions: peripheral muscle activation (PMA) and PMA plus inspiratory muscle activation (IMA). The inspiratory protocol consisted of two sets of 15 breaths at 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure. Sprint performance was assessed using a 100 m maximal effort, and differences were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test ( p ≤ 0.05). Results Mean sprint times were 12.92 ± 2.12 s for PMA and 12.96 ± 2.10 s for IMA. Although a statistically significant difference was observed ( p < 0.05), the magnitude of change (<0.05 s) was trivial. Sex-stratified descriptive values showed the same trivial pattern in women and men, although the sample size and unequal sex distribution precluded sex-based inference. No meaningful correlations were found between inspiratory strength and sprint performance. Discussion The findings indicate that inspiratory muscle pre-activation did not produce a practically meaningful performance benefit in short-duration sprinting. The limited role of respiratory factors in the 100 m sprint and the dominance of neuromuscular determinants likely explain the absence of performance enhancement. Conclusion Inspiratory muscle pre-activation did not produce a practically meaningful improvement in 100 m sprint performance in physically active individuals. It may be included within a broader warm-up routine, but the present data do not support its use as a primary strategy to improve 100 m sprint performance.