A VICTORIA University study shows major sporting clubs may be tiring their players by warming up for too long.
Research by James Zois and colleagues at VU’s Institute of Sport Exercise and Active Living compared performance after various warm-up routines including one conducted by a first class Italian soccer club.
The study showed a specific six-minute warm-up routine produced better results than the club’s 23-minute routine, which included run-throughs, stretching and change of direction tasks.
“This shows that beyond the five minutes needed to increase heart rate and muscle temperature, then a couple of targeted explosive routines, you can just start tiring players out for no real benefit,” Mr Zois said.
He said a preliminary survey of European soccer clubs and AFL clubs showed many had longer routines, with some lasting for up to one-hour pre-competition.
“We believe a lot of these are far too long and counter-productive,” Mr Zois said.
The study ‘High-intensity warm-ups elicit superior performance to a current warm-up routine’ was published in the Journal of Science and Sport Medicine.
