Warm Up

-A short warm-up between 10 – 15 minutes provides the same physical benefits as longer routines, while avoiding fatigue.

-Warm-up >25 minutes is associated with better psychological readiness

-Static stretching will reduce the ability to generate maximal force

-Dynamic stretching is recommended during warm up to potentiate (activate & excite) muscles prior to high intensity movements. There is an increase of 6% performance in sprinting and jumping after dynamic stretching

-Research suggest an intensity between 40-60% of maximal exertion during warm-up for optimal performance

Post‑Warm‑Up Transition Time Effects

(Time after warm-up and start of the game)

-Team sports on average take 12 minutes of transition time

-Players could be resting for longer if they are not starting, negating in the positive metabolic effects of warm-up

-Physiologically 6 minutes after warm-up core temperature, heart rate and muscle temperature are close to baseline values resulting in decrease in performance

-20 minutes of complete rest after warm up results in 15% decrease in jumping performance

Half time Re-warm up

-Half time breaks can range between 10-20 minutes, which is used to replenish energy, address injuries and discuss gameplay

-Studies have identified a decrease in physical and cognitive performance during this time

-The main concept is to maintain body heat actively through re-warm up or passively with heated garments to maintain performance

Take home message

- Warm up longer than 10 minutes for better performance

- Avoid static stretching during warm-up

- Keep your body warm if you are on the sideline and during half time

- Can refer to Fifa 11+ for a complete warm-up routine

Request an appointment with a Physio

References

Silva et al. (2018) Effects of Warm‑Up, Post‑Warm‑Up, and Re‑Warm‑Up Strategies on Explosive Efforts in Team Sports: A Systematic Review