The warm-up Conundrum:My investigation

Warm-up exercises are a staple in most fitness routines, they are often used as a way to prepare the body for strenuous physical activity. However, the effectiveness of warm-ups for injury prevention and performance enhancement is a topic of ongoing debate in the sports science community.

Injury Prevention
Firstly the term 'injury prevention' is broad and encompasses a wide range of potential injuries. Without first specifying which injury we are talking about the questions is very difficult to answer. Many methods and techniques are marketed in this manner.

Performance
Similarly, 'performance enhancement' can refer to various aspects of physical performance, from strength and endurance to flexibility and coordination. This is also vague, which makes it challenging to definitively state whether warm-ups are universally beneficial. However i did find some evidence to suggest the effectiveness, or some techniques to improve the performance in high threashold motor units which is useful if you want to get bigger . [1]

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You may have come across the technique of Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP). PAP is a phenomenon by which the force exerted by a muscle is increased due to its previous contraction. Think plyometrics followed lifting heavy ( or the other way round).
You may have heard that the effects of PAP are so long-lasting that athletes can engage in power work the day or morning before a game for carry over. This could challenge our conventional understanding of when a 'warm-up' should take place.

Some of the research I’ve read seems to suggest that PAP lasts for approximately 15 minutes but is muscle-specific (Tillin & Bishop, 2009). This insight could potentially revolutionise how we approach writing our programs, ( and who knows even some of our education providers may revisit their manuals) especially for clients who need more power or want to increase muscle mass.

A study by Stacey A. Zeno et al. explored the effects of various warm-up exercises on military physical fitness test results, yielding mixed and somewhat inconclusive findings. While certain exercises like cardiovascular warm-ups seemed to improve sprint/running times and dynamic stretching appeared to have broad benefits, these conclusions are tentative due to a variety of factors such as diverse methodologies, testing measures, performance standards, and sample populations. The individual studies were often characterized by small sample sizes and varying warm-up techniques, which, coupled with insufficient standardization, resulted in low to moderate confidence in the results. The review, therefore, suggests the need for more research to establish definitive conclusions. Despite the ambiguities, preliminary indications point towards potential benefits of cardiovascular warm-ups, dynamic stretching, and dynamic warm-ups in improving performance in certain military physical fitness tests.

⚠️I highly recommend doing your own research, these studies posted here are just a start point. To learn more about the process that has helped me and my students to read the balance of quality research follow the link below. ​

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In this study on whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) a method, often used as a form of warm-up, had no significant effect on preventing or treating muscle soreness after exercise. This indicates that not all warm-up methods are equally effective, and some may not provide the expected benefits.

Warm-ups have been credited with promoting mental preparedness, reducing performance anxiety, and creating a ritualistic significance (McCrary et al., 2015). While these factors don't directly prevent injuries, their beneficial influence on our overall performance, are worth considering.

Psychological

Before you think this could be the end of a warm up that we may know and love, let’s not forget the psychological benefits it may hold! The ritual of preparing for a workout can have a positive impact on mental readiness and focus (McCrary et al., 2015). Many of your clients may benefit from doing what their friends do, doing what they expect to do ( this does not mean it is supported by the balance of scientific literature but does mean it has its place ).
​Much of the scientific evidence seems to highlight that our understanding of warm-ups isn't as definitive as I might have thought. The literature offers mixed findings on injury prevention, and the physiological benefits, though present, are not as clear-cut as I would like them to be.

The warm-ups' role in psychological readiness is an area worthy of further exploration. The mental preparation that a warm-up routine provides may be just as valuable as its physical benefits, but how can we quantify this, and should we even try to?

Questioning our practices maybe key to stepping forward in our evolution, if we are striving for better health. It's would seem that warm-ups may require further research if we want refine our understanding and application of these routines.

If you would like to join me and continue to delve into this area, would like to keep up-to-date with the latest research, and consider tailoring your approach to our or our clients' specific needs you are welcome to join me on Motor Skill Application Specialist.
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Thank you for giving up your time and staying with me!  I’d love to hear your thoughts, anything you may want to add in the comments below,

Thank you for giving up your time and staying with me! I’d love to hear your thoughts, anything you may want to add in the comments below,

*Here are some of the references that helped with my questions. They maybe useful as a starting point. If you have any you would like to add, drop them in the comments
References

• .Zeno SA, Purvis D, Crawford C, Lee C, Lisman P, Deuster PA. Warm-ups for military fitness testing: rapid evidence assessment of the literature. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Jul;45(7):1369-76. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318285c1b9. PMID: 23777958.
• Chen YL, Chiou WK, Tzeng YT, Lu CY, Chen SC. A rating of perceived exertion scale using facial expressions for conveying exercise intensity for children and young adults. J Sci Med Sport. 2017 Jan;20(1):66-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2016.05.009. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PMID: 27267301.​​
• McCrary, J. M., Ackermann, B. J., & Halaki, M. (2015). A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(14), 935–942.
• 5. Tillin, N. A., & Bishop, D. (2009). Factors modulating post-activation potentiation and its effect on performance of subsequent explosive activities. Sports Medicine, 39(2), 147–166.
• 6. Bishop D. Warm up I: potential mechanisms and the effects of passive warm up on exercise performance. Sports Med. 2003;33(6):439-54. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333060-00005. PMID: 12744717.

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