A new study shows that even slight increases in muscle temperature can significantly enhance speed and power, especially when warm-up movements resemble the activity ahead.
Whether preparing for a marathon, squeezing in a short workout after a long day, or stepping onto the footy field for a big game, a proper warm-up may matter just as much as the main activity.
New findings from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggest that raising muscle temperature plays an important role in how effectively muscles can produce force and rapid movement. The researchers reported that hotter muscles contract more quickly and with greater power, which is especially relevant for activities that rely on speed or explosive strength.
“The research found that for every 1°C increase in muscle temperature, performance improved by about 3.5%, with the greatest benefits seen in rate-dependent muscle properties like speed and power, but not in maximum strength,” said lead researcher Dr. Cody Wilson.
The team explored how different warm-up strategies influence these outcomes. Passive warm-ups focused on heating muscles from outside the body, such as with heat pads or a hot shower, while active warm-ups used light movement, like ten minutes on a stationary bike or an easy rehearsal of the planned exercise.
Although the two approaches produced similar overall effects, the researchers note that this may be because many active warm-up routines used in the studies were not closely matched to the activities being tested.
The Importance of Specificity
“While both active and passive warm-ups result in better speed and power, a lot of research shows that the warm-up exercises should be similar to the exercise you will be doing. If you are lifting weights, starting out by doing the exercise with lighter weights, because the practice actually helps us to activate our muscles more and to use more efficient movement patterns – the nervous system can learn on the spot,” fellow author and PhD student JP Nunes said.
Dr. Wilson agrees that doing a warm-up related to the exercise being performed could positively impact the results of the workout.
“Any warm-up is important, whether that’s just walking to the gym or doing a ten-minute cycle before your workout. But there is some indication that warm-ups not related to the exercise being performed do not have as great an effect on performance as just ‘practicing’ the performance.”
As for when to transition from warm-up to work-out, ECU Professor of Biomechanics,Professor Tony Blazevichsaid there was no golden rule.
“As you are warming up, you will feel the movements become easier, and you will get more accurate and coordinated. You might even start to sweat. We often say that once you get that light sweat, you have probably raised your temperature sufficiently to start your workout.
“The important thing is to start moving. Whether that is with a light walk or taking a few flights of stairs. Eventually, you can work up to a full workout, when a proper warm-up will have its greatest effect,” Professor Blazevich said.
Reference: “The effect of muscle warm-up on voluntary and evoked force-time parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regression” by Cody J. Wilson, João Pedro Nunes and Anthony J. Blazevich, 25 January 2025,Journal of Sport and Health Science.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101024
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2 Comments
Since this has been known for decades and is already actively practiced by althletes, what good was this study?
Spending money for the sake of spending money?
Old people have known this forever. Our muscles have blood flow that is more sensitive to temperature. That doesn’t mean youn athletes, though, have zero sensitivity. The warmer the muscle, the greater the blood flow. As goes blood flow, so goes muscle performance. How was this research justified? Was the purpose to detect the relationship, quantify it, or what?