Warm-Up and Re-Warm-Up Strategies: Physiological Mechanisms, Performance Optimization, and Practical Applications

Warm-up and re-warm-up are fundamental components of athletic preparation and performance optimization in both elite and recreational sport. The physiological processes underlying these phases include increased muscle temperature, enhanced neural activation, and improved metabolic and cardiovascular readiness. Recent research has examined how different modalities—such as dynamic stretching, post-activation potentiation, heating garments, or active recovery—affect the acute responses of muscular and nervous systems. However, debate remains regarding the optimal duration, intensity, and individualization of these protocols. Additionally, there is growing interest in the effectiveness of re-warm-up strategies during halftime or between events to mitigate the effects of passive rest and performance decline. Despite numerous studies, a gap persists in translating mechanistic evidence to tailored, sport-specific recommendations and in understanding how these interventions can prevent injury and sustain performance across demographics and activity levels.This Research Topic aims to deepen understanding of the physiological mechanisms and performance implications of warm-up and re-warm-up strategies. It seeks to integrate evidence from experimental, applied, and field-based investigations to clarify how various protocols influence readiness, fatigue management, injury risk, and performance outcomes. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives—from exercise physiology to biomechanics and sports medicine—this effort strives to generate a comprehensive framework linking biological mechanisms to practical application. Key questions include how different methods interact with the physical and psychological dimensions of performance, and how warm-up and re-warm-up strategies can be optimized for specific populations and sports contexts.To gather further insights into the acute and applied aspects of performance preparation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Acute neuromuscular, thermal, and metabolic responses to diverse warm-up and re-warm-up protocolso Effects on athletic performance, endurance, and fatigue managemento Mechanisms underlying temperature regulation, neural drive, and cardiovascular primingo Re-warm-up strategies in intermittent sports and their influence on second-half performanceo Translational approaches bridging laboratory findings with practical implementation in training and competitiono Sex-, age-, and sport-specific adaptations to warm-up and re-warm-up interventionso Innovative and technological applications for monitoring and optimizing readiness Topic editors: Henrique Pereira Neiva, Daniel Marinho, Konstantinos Papadimitriou Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81832/warm-up-and-re-warm-up-strategies-physiological-mechanisms-performance-optimization-and-practical-applications