Post-Activation Performance Enhancement and Motor Imagery Are Efficient to Emphasize the Effects of a Standardized Warm-Up on Sprint-Running Performances

Warm-up routines include various tasks focused on the peripheral contractile properties and nervous motor command. This present study was aimed at investigating the acute effects of different warm-up routines, emphasizing either peripheral (post-activation performance enhancement, PAPE) or central (motor imagery, MI) contributions on sport-specific tasks. Eleven young female athletes took part in this cross-over, randomized, controlled trial. They underwent three experimental sessions composed of a standardized warm-up followed by 10 min of (1) rest (CONTROL), (2) maximal concentric leg press (PAPE), or (3) mental repetitions of sprint tasks (MI). Post-tests consisted of reaction time, arrowhead agility test, 20 m sprint, repeated sprint ability, and NASA-TLX fatigue questionnaire. PAPE and MI significantly enhanced the arrowhead agility test (p < 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively) and repeated sprint ability (p = 0.002 and p = 0.035, respectively) compared to CONTROL, without any difference between PAPE and MI. The 20 m sprint time was better after PAPE as compared to MI (p = 0.005) and CONTROL (p < 0.001), without any difference between MI and CONTROL. Reaction time and the NASA-TLX questionnaire were not affected by the warm-up modalities (p > 0.05). PAPE was the most efficient to optimize warm-up due to its greater peripheral contribution that would improve muscle contractility. MI specifically improved the imagined tasks mostly by central contribution.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of different warm-up routines, emphasizing either peripheral (PAPE) or central (MI) contributions on sport-specific tasks. The results showed that both PAPE and MI significantly improved agility and repeated sprint ability, with PAPE being more effective in the 20 m sprint. Reaction time and the NASA-TLX questionnaire were not affected by the warm-up modalities.