The Effects of Different Warm-Up Protocols on Sprint Performance

Background: Warm-up strategy is a key determinant of sprint performance, yet how different protocols influence performance across repeated sprint trials remains unclear, particularly regarding sex-specific responses. This study compared the acute effects of three warm-up protocols on repeated sprint performance in male and female athletes. Methods: Thirty-four male and 23 female athletes completed three warm-up protocols on separate occasions: a general long warm-up (GLW; 20 min), a long specific warm-up (LSW; 20 min), and a short specific warm-up (SSW; 10 min). After each protocol, participants performed three maximal 60 m sprints (T1, T2, T3), with split times recorded at 10 and 40 m. Sprint times were analysed using a three-way mixed-design ANOVA, with protocol and trial as within-subject factors and sex as the between-subject factor. Results: A significant protocol × sex interaction was observed at 40 m (F = 4.32, p = 0.016, ηp2 = 0.07) and 60 m (F = 4.08, p = 0.020, ηp2 = 0.07), but not at 10 m. Follow-up analyses showed no significant protocol differences in males. In females, LSW and SSW allowed faster sprint times than GLW at both 40 m and 60 m, while LSW and SSW did not differ from each other. The protocol × trial and protocol × trial × sex interactions were not significant. Conclusions: In this sample of student athletes, sprint-specific warm-ups allowed faster sprint performance than the general warm-up in females over 40 and 60 m, whereas no protocol differences were observed in males. These findings suggest that sex-specific responses to warm-up may be distance-dependent and should be interpreted in light of the heterogeneous sample and lack of menstrual-cycle control.