Comparative Analysis of Physical Demands and Physiological Responses of Different Warm-Up Protocols in Highly Trained Female Football Players

This study aimed to describe and compare warm-up (WU) demands of different protocols (with ball, without ball and pre-match) on female football players. Twenty-two players belonging to the same team were monitored throughout 12 training weeks using global navigation satellite system technology sampling at 10 Hz. The variables used were duration, total distance, distances covered within 0–45%, 45–60%, 60–85%, and 85–100% of individual maximum speed, maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, number of accelerations of magnitudes between 1 and 2 m/s2, 2 and 3 m/s2, 3 and 4 m/s2, and above 4 m/s2, number of decelerations of magnitudes between −1 and −2 m/s2, −2 and −3 m/s2, −3 and −4 m/s2, and below −4 m/s2, Player Load, and TRIMP Edwards. A linear mixed model was carried out for each variable in order to analyze the differences between WU protocols. The main results were that pre-match WU showed higher values in the following variables: (1) duration; (2) distances covered within 60–85% and 85–100% of individual maximum speed; (3) maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration; (4) number of accelerations of magnitudes between 2 and 3 m/s2 and between 3 and 4 m/s2, and more decelerations of magnitudes between −2 and −3 m/s2, −3 and −4 m/s2 and below −4 m/s2; and, (5) TRIMP Edwards. These findings underscore the importance of WU design in preparing female football players for high-intensity match demands and contribute to the development of specific WU strategies for them.