A systematic review led by Edith Cowan University has found that increasing muscle temperature through warm-up routines can significantly enhance performance in rapid, high‑power movements. The study estimates that for every 1°C rise in muscle temperature, speed- and power-related performance improves by around 3.5%, while maximum strength remains largely unchanged.
Researchers at Edith Cowan University conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine how different warm-up strategies affect exercise performance. The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, analyzed 33 experiments involving 921 participants and focused on how increases in muscle temperature influence muscle contractions.
According to the authors, higher muscle temperatures enhanced the speed and force of contractions during dynamic, fast-velocity movements, but did not meaningfully increase maximum force output. The paper reported that rate-dependent properties such as power and rate of force development improved by roughly 3%–4% for each 1°C rise in muscle temperature, while maximal strength showed little or no change.
Lead researcher Dr. Cody Wilson said the team found a clear temperature–performance relationship. “The research found that for every 1°C increase in muscle temperature, performance improved by about 3.5%, with the greatest benefits seen in rate-dependent muscle properties like speed and power, but not in maximum strength,” he said, as reported by Edith Cowan University and associated releases.
The investigation compared passive warm-ups, which use external sources such as heat pads or hot showers to raise muscle temperature without movement, with active warm-ups, which involve light exercise like 10 minutes on a stationary bike or a scaled-down version of the main workout. Across the pooled data, active warm-ups did not produce greater improvements than passive warm-ups in dynamic force production or rate of force development.
However, the researchers noted that many active warm-up protocols used in the included studies did not closely match the subsequent performance tests, which may have limited their apparent advantage. Fellow author and PhD student João Pedro (JP) Nunes explained in ECU materials that, while both active and passive warm-ups can improve speed and power, exercise-specific routines are likely to be more effective in practice.
“While both active and passive warm-ups result in better speed and power, a lot of research shows that the warm-up exercises should be similar to the exercise you will be doing. If you are lifting weights, starting out by doing the exercise with lighter weights, because the practice actually helps us to activate our muscles more and to use more efficient movement patterns – the nervous system can learn on-the-spot,” Nunes said.
Dr. Wilson also emphasized the practical value of simply getting the body moving before more intense exercise. “Any warm-up is important, whether that's just walking to the gym or doing a ten-minute cycle before your work-out. But there is some indication that warm-ups not related to the exercise being performed do not have as great an effect on performance as just ‘practicing’ the performance,” he said, according to ECU’s news release.
To help people judge when they are ready to progress from warm-up to workout, ECU Professor of Biomechanics Anthony (Tony) Blazevich pointed to subjective cues rather than a strict rule. “As you are warming up, you will feel the movements become easier, and you will get more accurate and coordinated. You might even start to sweat. We often say that once you get that light sweat, you have probably raised your temperature sufficiently to start your work-out,” he said. Blazevich added that the key is simply to start with some gentle activity—such as a light walk or climbing a few flights of stairs—and then build up to the full session, when a proper warm-up will have its greatest effect.
Taken together, the findings support the idea that warm-ups are valuable for both athletes and casual exercisers. Raising muscle temperature through either passive or active means can meaningfully boost speed and power, and warm-ups that closely resemble the planned activity appear to offer additional benefits for coordination and efficiency.
