Specific Warm-up Research Articles

The effect of sports specific warm-up on lower and upper extremity visual response time in female athletes

Background and Study Aim. Response time is one of the important parameters affecting performance in sports. The aim of this study was to investigate the visual response time of the upper (hand) and lower (foot) extremities after a warm-up activity applied to female football and volleyball players. Material and Methods. Eleven female football players and eleven volleyball players, aged 19.27 ± 1.93 years, with a height of 164.90 ± 8.07 cm, body weight of 57.00 ± 6.01 kg, and 6.40 ± 2.36 years of sports experience, participated in the study as volunteers. Visual response times for the upper and lower extremities were measured before and after the warm-up protocol. The warm-up began with static stretching exercises for 2 minutes. This was followed by aerobic jogging for 2.5 minutes at a heart rate of approximately 140 beats per minute. After that, activities involving dynamic joint mobility were performed for 5 minutes. Finally, a 2.5-minute, three-stage sport-specific warm-up was completed. In total, the warm-up protocol lasted 17 minutes. Results. Volleyball players' upper extremity visual response time did not show significant differences before and after warm-up (Z = -1.561, p = 0.119). Significant differences were found in the upper extremity visual response time of football players before and after warm-up (t = 2.887, p = 0.016). No significant difference was found in the comparison of volleyball and football players' pre-warm-up (t = 1.905, p = 0.071) and post-warm-up (U = 43.000, p = 0.247) two-hand visual response times. A significant difference was found in the comparison of volleyball players' lower extremity visual response times before and after warm-up (Z = -2.674, p = 0.007). No significant difference was found in the comparison of lower extremity visual response times of football players before and after warm-up (t = 2.132, p = 0.059). A significant difference was determined in the comparison of lower extremity visual response times of volleyball and football players before warm-up (t = 3.307, p = 0.004) and after warm-up (U = 20.000, p = 0.008). Conclusions. The findings highlight the importance of sport-specific warm-up protocols in preparing athletes for optimal performance. Implementing appropriate warm-up strategies can therefore be a key factor in maximizing athletic performance and maintaining long-term physical health in female athletes.

Effects of Specific RAMP Protocol Phase on Change of Direction Speed of Police Students.

Background: This study assessed the effects of two distinct RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) protocols, mobility-focused and reactiveness-focused, on change of direction speed in police students (i.e., tactical athletes). Methods: A longitudinal design with two experimental and one control group was employed. The study sample consisted of 39 police students (aged 19.2 ± 0.2 yrs) who were randomly allocated into three equal groups of 13 participants (7 females and 6 males). Experimental groups were labeled as the mobility group or reactiveness group based on the type of RAMP protocol they performed. During the tactical physical education classes, the mobility group performed four complex mobility exercises, while the reactiveness group performed four exercises for trunk reactiveness. After the specific warm-up, both groups continued with syllabus activities. The control group performed only regular activities based on the study syllabus. All participants performed the Illinois Agility test unloaded (IAT) and loaded (10 kg vest [IATL]) and Functional Movement Screening (FMS) before and after 8 weeks of the applied protocols. Results: In general, improvements were observed across all participants in the IAT (p < 0.001), IATL (p < 0.001), and FMS (p < 0.001). The mobility protocol had a more substantial impact compared to the reactiveness protocol on the IAT (d = 0.55 vs. d = 0.40), IATL (d = 0.44 vs. d = 0.38), and FMS (d = 0.88 vs. d = -0.42). Additionally, the control group, which did not follow either RAMP protocol, did not show significant improvements. Conclusions: These results underscore the importance of incorporating targeted mobility training in the limited time available for strength and conditioning programs, as it improves occupationally relevant movement qualities such as change of direction speed ability. Prioritizing mobility training in young tactical athletes may offer broader benefits compared to reactiveness training.

Elite Olympic Boxing Specific Warm-up And Anaerobic Metabolic Biomarker: Are We Preparing Or Depleting Our Athletes?

Elite Olympic Boxing Specific Warm-up And Anaerobic Metabolic Biomarker: Are We Preparing Or Depleting Our Athletes?

Effect of a Specific Warm-up based on Oppositional Wrestling Games on The Technical Performance and Mental Health of Physical Education Students

Background and study aim. This study explored the impact of two different specific warm-up protocols (consisting of either opposition games or classical exercises) on technical-tactical performance, intrinsic motivation and stress levels in wrestling schoolchildren. Materials and methods. Sixty-three schoolchildren divided into two parallel groups (specific warm-up opposition game group: EG, n = 18, aged 12.42 ± 0.87 years; and classical specific warm-up group: CG, n = 18, aged 12.41 ± 0.78 years) who completed three 75-minute sessions over four weeks practicing different specific warm-up exercises. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS to find the normality, mean and standard deviation. A two-factor mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) model with repeated measures was performed to measure differences in mental health and technical-tactical performance for both group. Results. Several results emerged from this study; (i) EG who followed a specific warm-up program based on opposition games performed better in the wrestling test and were able to improve the number of successful leg attack skills, with a significant interaction compared to CG, (ii) EG obtained a better leg attack score due to their quality of execution and (iii) Compared with children in the CG group children in the EG group feel happy and motivated and their stress levels decrease. Conclusion. Wrestling teaching and training specialists should be convinced of the beneficial effects of exercises based on opposition games on students' technical and mental skills.

Concurrent Validity and Reliability of a Free Smartphone Application for Evaluation of Jump Height.

Background/Objectives: Jump test assessment is commonly used for physical tests, with different type of devices used for its evaluation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of a freely accessible mobile application (VertVision, version 2.0.5) for measuring jump performance. Methods: With that intent, thirty-eight college age recreationally active subjects underwent test assessment after a specific warm-up, performing countermovement jumps (CMJs) and squat jumps (SJs) on a contact platform while being recorded with a smartphone camera. Jump height was the criterion variable, with the same formula being used for both methods. Data analysis was performed by two experienced observers. Results: The results showed strong correlations with the contact platform (ICC > 0.9) for both jumps. Furthermore, between-observer reliability was also high (ICC > 0.9; CV ≤ 2.19), with lower values for smallest worthwhile change (≤0.23) and typical error of measurement (≤0.14). Estimation error varied when accounting for both observers, with the SJ accounting for bigger differences (4.1-6.03%), when compared to the CMJ (0.73-3.09%). Conclusions: The study suggests that VertVision is a suitable and handy method for evaluating jump performance. However, it presents a slight estimation error when compared to the contact platform.

Applying a Specific Warm-Up on Basketball Performance: The Basket-Up Approach

This research aims to evaluate whether a basketball-specific warm-up (Basket-Up) provides immediate benefits in terms of the essential physical performance requirements of basketball and to compare these effects to those obtained from FIFA 11+. In total, 95 highly trained basketball athletes (49 women, 46 men), aged between 13 and 17, were randomly divided to either perform the FIFA 11+ program (n = 48) or the Basket-Up program (n = 47). Immediate evaluation encompassed the assessment of vertical jump (countermovement jump), agility (Lane Agility Test), and 20 m sprint. A two-way mixed analysis of variance was conducted with time (preintervention and postintervention), sex (men and women), and training group (FIFA 11+ and Basket-Up) as the within- and between-participant factors, respectively. Agility (p &lt; 0.001, F = 66.759) and jumping (p &lt; 0.001, F = 78.062) outcomes exhibited significant differences between pre- and postintervention values in both groups. Basket-Up agility values were significantly higher than those from FIFA 11+ (p = 0.001, F = 12.998). The implementation of a specific basketball warm-up program (Basket-Up) appears to be both safe and effective in enhancing immediate athletic performance among highly trained young basketball athletes. Moreover, the effects of this program are comparable to those obtained by a nonspecific basketball warm-up (FIFA 11+) in terms of sprint and jumping performance but demonstrate superiority in agility outcomes, favoring the Basket-Up program.

Effect of warm-up protocols using lower and higher loads on multiple-set back squat volume-load.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) after three warm-up protocols on back squat performance in trained men. Fourteen resistance-trained men performed conditioning activity (CA) with high-load (HL-CA), low-load (LL-CA), or usual specific warm-up as a control (CON). HL-CA consisted of one set of three repetitions with 90% of one repetition maximum (RM); LL-CA consisted of one set of six repetitions with 45% of 1 RM performed at maximal velocity; CON involved eight repetitions with 45% of 1 RM at controlled velocity. The participant's performance was measured using the total number of repetitions and volume load (reps × load × sets). There were no significant differences between warm-up for the total number of repetitions (p = 0.17) or total volume load (p = 0.15). There was no difference between conditions for the number of repetitions (main condition effect; p = 0.17); however, participants achieved a significantly higher volume load after HL-PAPE than after CON for the first set (p = 0.04). High or low equated-load CA used as warm-up strategies did not potentiate subsequent performance enhancement in multiple-set back squat exercise performed until muscle failure in comparison with usual warm-up.

Effects of the Surface Type on the Sprint Force–Velocity–Power Profile of Female Beach Handball Top-Level Players

Beach handball (BH) is characterized by high-intensity actions, such as accelerations and short rest times, in combination with long periods of low-intensity activity during a match. The purpose of this study was to establish a comparative analysis between the effect of a hard surface vs. sandy surface on the properties of the sprint Force–Velocity–Power Profile (FVP) of female beach handball top-level players. Fourteen female BH players participated in this research. A cross-sectional investigation was performed in order to evaluate the determining variables of the FVP profile for different surfaces. After a specific warm-up, two maximal 20–30 m sprints (4 min resting between trials) were performed in two conditions (hard surface and sand) within 10 min. The female BH players showed higher mean values for all the FVP profile variables (p &lt; 0.001) on the hard surface compared to sand, in addition to lower values for the 5 m (ES = 2.29 to 3.89) and 20 m sprinting times (ES = 2.39 to 3.99) (p &lt; 0.001). However, the decrease in the ratio of force over acceleration was not discriminant between the surfaces. Positive correlations were found for the speed variables (0.691–0.807, p &lt; 0.01), as well as the Pmax (0.520, p = 0.035), between the surfaces. A prior knowledge of the FVP profile for hard–sandy surfaces could offer an important reference value about the sprint properties of this population, and be useful for evaluating the efficiency, as well as the effect on the sprint and gaming performance, of specifically oriented training programs based on those reference values.

Warm-up is an efficient strategy to prevent diurnal variation of short-term maximal performance in young basketball players

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) whether there were morning-to-evening differences in short-term maximal performance and 2) the impact of prolonged and specific warm-up on short-term maximal performance diurnal variations in young basketball players. Fifteen basketball players of both sexes (Male = 8; Female = 7; age: 14.4 ± 0.46 yr; weight: 64.7 ± 7.1 kg; height: 175.2 ± 6.6 cm; BMI: 21.1 ± 1.9 kg/m2) completed the following short-term maximal performance tests: CMJ with and without arm swing, Lane Agility Drill, Zig-Zag agility test with and without the ball, Sprint 20 m with and without the ball with the passage at 5 and 10 m. All tests were performed after the 15-min standard warm-up procedure (with static stretching) and/or 25-min specific warm-up (with prolonged running and dynamic stretching) in the morning and evening. Vertical jumping tests and all change-of-direction speed tests (with and without a ball) with superior responses were achieved in the evening after standard warm-up among all participants (p < 0.05). In contrast, superior short-term maximal performance was observed in the morning after prolonged and specific warm-up protocol (p < 0.05). It was concluded that specific and prolonged warm-up protocols are suitable strategy to prevent diurnal variation in short-term maximal performance in young basketball players.

The impact of general and/or specific warm-up on power and velocity during squat and bench-press training

The study aimed to compare the effects of two warm-up strategies on mechanical force production during bench press and squat resistance training sessions. Twenty-six trained male subjects (24.37±5.83years, 75.48±12.12kg, 1.74±0.07m) performed a squat or bench press resistance training session after a specific warm-up (SWU) or general warm-up followed by a specific warm-up (GSWU). The SWU included 2x6 repetitions at 32% and 64% of the maximal load (1RM), respectively. The GSWU included 10 minutes of treadmill running (70% of heart rate reserve) followed by SWU. The resistance training session consisted of 3x6 with a load of 80% 1RM. Mechanical (mean propulsive velocity, mean propulsive power and velocity loss), physiological [heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration], and psychophysiological variables (rating of perceived exertion) were evaluated. In the bench press and squat resistance training sessions, no differences were found in the mechanical and psychophysiological variables. When performing the bench press, the GSWU caused an increased HR response after warm-up (100.00±16.93bpm vs. 110.57±9.69bpm, p=0.03; ES=0.65, moderate effect). GSWU or SWU can both be used as preparatory activities for bench press and squat resistance training performance without related restrictions. These findings may be helpful for professionals to provide appropriate warm-up strategies to maximize resistance training. Keywords: Pre-exercise, Strength, T-Force, Velocity, Physiology, Resistance Training

The effect of Wrestling+ warm-up program on balance and proprioception of adolescent wrestlers

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an 8-week Wrestling+ warm-up program on static-dynamic balance and proprioception of adolescent freestyle wrestlers. Methods: Twenty-four wrestlers (mean standard deviation for age: 15.8 0.8 years, and body mass index: 23.4 4.3 kg/ m2) participated in this study and were randomly divided into experimental (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. The experimental group performed three sessions/week of the Wrestling+ warm-up program, while the control group performed routine warm-up exercises during each session. The balance error scoring system (BESS) test for static balance, the Y-test for dynamic balance, and an active angle reconstruction test for knee and ankle joint proprioception were used. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and pairedsamples t-test were used to compare the intergroup and intragroup differences, respectively, with a significance level set at p &lt; 0.05. Results: After the intervention, there were significant improvements in static balance (p &lt; 0.001) on both stable and unstable surfaces, and dynamic balance for the anterior (p = 0.047), posteromedial (p = 0.040), and posterolateral (p = 0.028) segments. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in proprioception errors during knee movements (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The eight-week Wrestling+ warm-up program seems to have a positive effect on static and dynamic balance ability by improving knee joint proprioception in adolescent wrestlers. Hence, it is highly recommended to incorporate this specific warm-up program to enhance the performance of adolescent wrestlers and prevent injuries.

Effect of Sports Specific Warm-Up Protocol on Injury Prevention among Badminton Players

Background: Badminton is a sport in which players use a combination of speed, endurance, strength, andcoordination over lengthy, high-intensity actions that are broken up by rest breaks. In sports, a warm-up is a preexercisesession intended to improve performance in competition or training. Training that has been introducedinto training programmes involves properly warming up the body before physical exercise. General warm updoesn’t help on injury prevention in all games, so there is a need for sports specific warm up programs to promotemore flexibility and readiness before the specific strength training and power training.Purpose: To assess the impact of a sports-specific warm-up procedure on badminton players’ ability to avoidinjuries.Materials and Method: From the SDAT in Chennai, a total of 100 young badminton players were chosen. Witha mean age of 22.35 ± 3.23, there were 59 male and 41 female players among them. Injury Rate, EpidemiologicalIncidence Proportion and Incidence Rate were used as outcome measures. The players were split into two groups,one of which received a sports-specific warm-up procedure and the other of which received a generic warm-upregimen.Results: By the descriptive statistics of the collected data, the Sports Specific Warm-up group showed betterimprovement in preventing injuries compared to the conventional group.Conclusion: It has been concluded that Sports Specific Warm-up plays a vital role in preventing on-field injuriesamong badminton players.

Innovative integration: optimizing performance through warm-up and photobiomodulation in high-intensity test.

We investigated whether the application of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) immediately after a standardized warm-up (WU + PBMT) or traditional PBMT (no pre-warming) would influence performance in intermittent testing and intensity variables. In a counterbalanced randomized crossover design, twelve female futsal players (mean age: 23.9 ± 3.8 years) attended four sessions. Each session involved either a standardized warm-up or maintaining seated rest for five minutes. Subsequently, PBMT or placebo (with the PBMT device turned off) was applied, followed by the YoYo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 test (YYIR1) during which we assessed heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and blood lactate levels. The performance in YYIIR1 was superior (p = 0.02) in the WU + PBMT condition (440.0 ± 59.0 m) compared to the WU + Placebo (353.3 ± 94.7 m), and placebo alone (no warm-up) (325.0 ± 67.2 m). We conclude that a combination of a specific warm-up before PBMT application improves high-intensity intermittent performance in amateur female futsal players without affecting intensity variables.

Biomechanical comparison of hip and ankle kinematics among national and university-level field hockey players: An observational study

Abstract Background: The penalty corner stands out as a crucial scoring method in field hockey, with the Drag flick (DF) being the most frequently employed shot during this situation. The DF is more effective than the hit or push techniques. Purpose: This study aimed to explore variations in hip and ankle kinematics during different stages of the DF among field hockey players at national and university levels. Materials and Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional design involving participation from professional male drag flickers, as well as national and university-level (UL) players, with reported mean ± SD values for height (172 ± 1.41 cm), weight (72.5 ± 2.12 kg), and BMI (24.4 ± 0.35 kg/m2). Following a specific warm-up, each player underwent the random recording of 10 trials on the hockey ground. XSENS inertial measuring unit was employed to acquire and analyze kinematics data. Thirty frames were extracted, spanning the DF technique’s initial phase to the final phase for subsequent analysis. Results: The findings revealed distinct variations in joint angle (XZY) range of motion (ROM) during different phases of the DF among national and UL players. Notably, significant (P &lt; 0.05) and diverse changes were identified in various parameters of lower limb kinematics when comparing DF shots. Conclusion: The study’s conclusion emphasizes that comprehending the ROM variations in hockey players is crucial for sports scientists and coaches. NL and UL players showed different movement patterns in the same DF technique but at different extents. This knowledge enables them to understand the biomechanical responses necessary to attain optimal movement, mainly when aiming for the goal. It allows for a focused analysis of individual player movement patterns.

Lower limbs micro-loading acutely attenuates repeated change-of-direction performance in male youth during small-sided soccer games

BackgroundSoccer players often wear light-weighted wearable resistance (WR) attached to different body parts during the warm-up period with the aim to improve measures of physical fitness. However, the effect of WR on physical performance is unknown. This study evaluated the effects of WR with different micro-loadings on repeated change-of-direction (RCoD) performance while executing small-sided soccer games (SSG).MethodsTwenty male soccer players aged 16.0 ± 1.5 years (body mass 74.0 ± 7.4 kg, body-height 175.0 ± 10.0 cm) volunteered to participate in this study. Following a within-subject study design, players performed four specific warm-up protocols in randomized order with a rest of 72 h between protocols: (1) WR micro-loadings with 0.1% of body mass (WR0.1); (2) WR micro-loadings with 0.2% of body mass (WR0.2); (3) WR micro-loadings with 0.3% of body mass (WR0.3); (4) no WR (control = CONT). After the warm-up protocols, players performed 2 sets of 20-min SSG. The RCoD was collected at the 8th min of SSG (SSG 1–8 min), the 15th min of SSG1 (SSG1-15 min), and at the 15th min of SSG2 (SSG2-15 min). Outcomes included mean and total RCoD indices (i.e., mean time and total time for each condition).ResultsBased on the outcomes of a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), WR0.1 and WR0.2 were more effective than control in dampening the decrease of RCoD’s total time during SSG1-8 min, and SSG2-15 min (small ES: 0.24–0.35; p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed between WR0.3 and control. In addition, WR0.1 and WR0.2 significantly affected the decreases in RCoD’s mean best time during SSG1 and SSG2 which was observed in the unloaded condition (CONT) and consequently displayed a lower rate of RCoD performance decrease.ConclusionThis study reports that wearing lower extremity WRs with micro-loads of 0.1% or 0.2% of body mass attenuates physical fatigue indicated in attenuated RCoD performance while executing SSG.

Sex Differences in Hamstring Flexibility Changes After Specific Warm-up

Sex Differences in Hamstring Flexibility Changes After Specific Warm-up

Does the addition of lower-body aerobic exercise as a warm-up improve upper-body resistance training performance more than a specific warm-up alone?

Does the addition of lower-body aerobic exercise as a warm-up improve upper-body resistance training performance more than a specific warm-up alone?

Effect of different specific warm-up protocols and time of day on optimum power performance in kickboxers

Numerous variables can affect performance before the competition. Nevertheless, it could be a subject of curiosity to find out whether a warm-up strategy has a more positive effect on the power performance of kickboxers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of different specific warm-up protocols and time of day on optimum power performance in kickboxers. Ten volunteer males performed three different warm-up routines in random order. The warm-up protocols consisted of only 20 min for each group. The groups with low-intensity aerobic running (NSWU) and specific warm-ups (SWU-20m) performed 20-min protocols. The other group followed 10 minutes of jogging and 10 minutes of specific warm-up (SWU-10m). All groups followed the warm-up randomly at two different periods of the day (i.e. morning: 09:00-10:00 and evening: 16:00-17:00) on non-consecutive days. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of Mean Propulsion (W) (F=3.518; p2=0.036). There was a statistically significant difference in Mean propulsive Power (W) between NSWU and SWU-10m (p3= 0.0007) in addition there was also a statistically significant difference in SWU-10m and SWU-20m (p3= 0.0106) and, NSWU and SWU-20m (p3= 0.415) protocols. In conclusion, mean propulsion (W) performance showed diurnal variation, and performances of the kickboxers’ can be affected more positively in the evening hours, especially after SWU protocols.

Diurnal variation in Uchikomi fitness test performance: Influence of warm-up protocols.

Performance is judged using a variety of methods to ensure uniformity between competitions. Uchikomi Fitness Test (UFT) could accomplished between morning qualifying and evening finals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of different warm-up protocols on UFT at different times of the day in female judokas. Ten volunteer women who had been practising judo on a regular basis for more than 5 years and actively competed in international tournaments took part in this study. Judokas completed UFT, either after no-warm-up (NWU), specific warm-up (SWU), and linear+lateral warm-up (FWU) protocols for two times a day in the morning: 09:00-11:00 and in the evening: 16:00-18:00, on non-consecutive days. In conclusion, there was a significant increase in UFT scores (F = 9.89; p = 0.002), a + b (F = 4.42; p = 0.04) and heart rate (F = 28.99; p < 0.001) in the early evening compared to the morning. Increases in UFT performance were observed in the SWU protocol compared to the NWU and FWU protocols (p < 0.05). However, the interaction between time of day and warm protocol was not significant (p > 0.05). The UFT performance revealed diurnal variation, and the judokas' performances may be favourably affected more in the late hours, particularly following SWU procedures.

Acute effect of auxotonic and isometric contraction evaluated by infrared thermography in handball players

The Infrared Thermography (IRT) is being used in the field of sport as a means of quantifying the effects of workload. The aims of this study were (i) to determine the variations in skin temperature (Tsk) of the lower limbs after an effort of auxotonic and isometric squat contractions using infrared thermography and (ii) to study jumping performance variations in handball players after those two different contraction types. A total of 15 national level handball players voluntarily participated in the study (age: 23.20 ± 5.23 years). Two types of protocols – isometric and auxotonic – were performed on different days, having previously calculated the maximal isometric squat strength and auxotonic 1RM. During the data collection, participants performed a specific standardized warm-up and then randomly performed 4x10 repetitions of auxotonic squat to 90° of knee flexion at 70% of 1RM and 4x10 s of isometric squat effort at 90° of knee flexion, at 70% of maximal isometric squat strength (both with a passive recovery of 90 s seated). Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and countermovement jumping performance (CMJ) were measured before and immediately after efforts. Additionally, infrared thermography data from twelve regions of interest of the lower limbs were registered before, immediately after and 15 min after finishing the effort. The main results indicated no significant differences for RPE (p = 0.486), CMJ vertical height (VH; p = 0.344) and Tsk (p > 0.05) in any of the regions of interest after protocols. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found for the time of data collection on Tsk with similar pre- and post-15 min values. In conclusion, Tsk decreased after both isometric and auxotonic effort at 70% of the maximal performance and recovered baseline values within 15 min of completion. Both efforts produced similar effects on skin temperature and did not affect jumping performance after exercise.