Current practices of warm-up during strength training and conditioning based on coaching experience

Introduction: Appropriate physical preparation for exercise is crucial for optimising exercise performance. This study investigated the warm-up practices of strength and conditioning coaches/practitioners within Southeast and East Asia. Methods: An online survey was administered to 58 professional strength and conditioning coaches from nine Southeast and East Asia countries. The survey investigated warm-up objectives, duration, activity types, physiological readiness assessments and exercise sequencing. Frequency analysis and Chi-square tests assessed data distribution and differences between experienced (≥ 10 years) and less-experienced (1–9 years) practitioners. Results: Most practitioners (91%) possessed education to at least undergraduate level and held industry certifications (72%). Primary warm-up objectives were injury prevention (88%), performance enhancement (86%), and mental preparation (64%). Readiness was typically determined qualitatively (e.g., asking “how do you feel?”) by ≥ 60% of practitioners, rather than quantitative methods. Warm-ups typically lasted 10–20 min (47% strength, 54% conditioning), although 43% (strength) lasted < 10 min. Most practitioners prescribed low-intensity activities (micro-activation and/or jogging/cycling), followed by stretching, jumping, and sport-specific exercises. Dynamic stretching was extremely common (97%), alongside micro-activations (mobility/band exercises) (88%). Simple jumps (vertical, 79%; pogo, 74%; horizontal, 74%), were common at the end of warm-ups. During strength training, practitioners (55%) prescribed warm-up sets, but only for the main exercises. Experienced practitioners utilised more foam rolling during micro-activation (p = 0.014), but all other prescriptions were not different. Conclusion: Warm-up prescriptions were largely similar across experience levels, with practitioners’ minimum qualifications comparable to those in other regions. The warm-ups delivered reflect current literature and best practices, incorporating structured routines and simple readiness appraisal.