Optimizing the start of the second half: A meta-analysis of re-warm-up effects in team sports players

Background Passive recovery during the half-time interval in team sports often compromises physiological readiness, resulting in performance decrements at the onset of the second half. While re-warm-up (RWU) strategies have been proposed to counteract this decline, conclusive quantitative evidence remains limited. The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to: (1) quantify the magnitude of RWU effects compared with passive recovery on key explosive performance indicators (vertical jump, sprint, and change of direction) among team sports athletes; and (2) determine the moderating influence of athlete characteristics (level, sex, age) and RWU duration through subgroup analyses. Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidance, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and the Cochrane Library from inception to August 28, 2025. Records were screened in duplicate, full texts were assessed for eligibility, and methodological appraisal was conducted using the PEDro scale and RoB 2. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to quantify the effects of RWU versus passive recovery on vertical jump, sprint, and change-of-direction performance, with exploratory subgroup analyses/meta-regression examining study-level covariates, including athlete characteristics and RWU duration. Results Fifteen studies involving 213 participants were included, with the majority (13 studies) classified ashaving ‘good’ methodological quality on the PEDro scale. The meta-analysis revealed that RWU significantly enhanced vertical jump performance during the initial phase of the second half compared with passive recovery (27 effect sizes [ESs]; SMD = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.59, p < 0.001), with negligible heterogeneity (1 2 = 0%). Furthermore, RWU yielded significant improvements in short-distance sprint (27 ESs; SMD = −0.35,95%C: −0.63 to −0.07, p = 0.016) and change of direction ability (7 ESS; SMD=−0.38, 95%Cl: −0.65 to −0.12, p = 0.005). Conclusions Active RWU strategies are effective for counteracting performance decrements in the second half, specifically improving vertical jump, sprint, and COD abilities. However, the duration of RWU appears to be a critical moderator, with prolonged protocols potentially impairing sprint performance. Consequently, coaches and practitioners should prioritize optimizing RWU duration while tailoring strategies to athletes’ age, sex, and competitive level to maximize match performance. Future studies should directly compare RWU protocols with standardized reporting of duration and intensity, recruit more balanced samples across sex and age groups, and examine these interventions in ecologically valid match settings.