Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players

IntroductionPre-competition warm-ups play a critical role in optimizing athletic performance and minimizing injury risk. This randomized, controlled crossover study investigated the acute effects of the Raise, Activate, Mobilize, and Potentiate (RAMP) warm-up protocol on key performance parameters i...

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Main Authors: Fatma Gözlükaya Girginer, Sinan Seyhan, Görkem Açar, Muhammed Fatih Bilici, Ömer Faruk Bilici, Çağlar Soylu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1612611/full
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author Fatma Gözlükaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Görkem Açar
Muhammed Fatih Bilici
Ömer Faruk Bilici
Çağlar Soylu
author_facet Fatma Gözlükaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Görkem Açar
Muhammed Fatih Bilici
Ömer Faruk Bilici
Çağlar Soylu
author_sort Fatma Gözlükaya Girginer
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionPre-competition warm-ups play a critical role in optimizing athletic performance and minimizing injury risk. This randomized, controlled crossover study investigated the acute effects of the Raise, Activate, Mobilize, and Potentiate (RAMP) warm-up protocol on key performance parameters in young male soccer players.MethodsFourteen participants (aged 16–22 years) completed three different warm-up conditions—no warm-up (control), static stretching, and RAMP—on non-consecutive days with a 48-h washout period. Performance was assessed using 30-m sprint and vertical jump tests, each performed twice per session with the best trial recorded for analysis.ResultsA one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that both vertical jump height and sprint performance differed significantly across conditions (p < 0.05). Post hoc Bonferroni comparisons indicated that the RAMP group exhibited superior results compared with static stretching (Effect size: d = 0.41) and control (Effect size: d = 0.52), while no notable difference was observed between static stretching and control conditions.DiscussionThese results suggest that the structured progression of the RAMP protocol—combining exercises that elevate body temperature, activate key muscle groups, improve mobility, and enhance neuromuscular readiness—can acutely enhance explosive strength and sprint speed by effectively priming the neuromuscular system. This study contributes novel insights by demonstrating the acute efficacy of the RAMP method in youth soccer players, a population that has been underrepresented in previous literature. Although the study was limited to male amateur athletes and focused on short-term performance gains, the findings indicate suggestive potential for implementing the RAMP protocol as an evidence-based approach in pre-competition preparation.
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spelling doaj-art-aea4755c644e4cd6abc24888b90b0e4c2025-08-20T03:29:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2025-06-011610.3389/fphys.2025.16126111612611Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer playersFatma Gözlükaya Girginer0Sinan Seyhan1Görkem Açar2Muhammed Fatih Bilici3Ömer Faruk Bilici4Çağlar Soylu5Department of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, TürkiyeDepartment of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, TürkiyeDepartment of Sport Science, Institute of Graduate Education, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, TürkiyeMuş Alparslan Üniversitesi, Spor Bilimleri Fakültesi, Antrenörlük Eğitimi Bölümü, Muş, TürkiyeDepartment of Movement and Training, Marmara University, Istanbul, TürkiyeGulhane Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, TürkiyeIntroductionPre-competition warm-ups play a critical role in optimizing athletic performance and minimizing injury risk. This randomized, controlled crossover study investigated the acute effects of the Raise, Activate, Mobilize, and Potentiate (RAMP) warm-up protocol on key performance parameters in young male soccer players.MethodsFourteen participants (aged 16–22 years) completed three different warm-up conditions—no warm-up (control), static stretching, and RAMP—on non-consecutive days with a 48-h washout period. Performance was assessed using 30-m sprint and vertical jump tests, each performed twice per session with the best trial recorded for analysis.ResultsA one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that both vertical jump height and sprint performance differed significantly across conditions (p < 0.05). Post hoc Bonferroni comparisons indicated that the RAMP group exhibited superior results compared with static stretching (Effect size: d = 0.41) and control (Effect size: d = 0.52), while no notable difference was observed between static stretching and control conditions.DiscussionThese results suggest that the structured progression of the RAMP protocol—combining exercises that elevate body temperature, activate key muscle groups, improve mobility, and enhance neuromuscular readiness—can acutely enhance explosive strength and sprint speed by effectively priming the neuromuscular system. This study contributes novel insights by demonstrating the acute efficacy of the RAMP method in youth soccer players, a population that has been underrepresented in previous literature. Although the study was limited to male amateur athletes and focused on short-term performance gains, the findings indicate suggestive potential for implementing the RAMP protocol as an evidence-based approach in pre-competition preparation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1612611/fullwarm-upramp protocolstatic stretchingneuromuscular activationvertical jumpsprint performance
spellingShingle Fatma Gözlükaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Görkem Açar
Muhammed Fatih Bilici
Ömer Faruk Bilici
Çağlar Soylu
Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
Frontiers in Physiology
warm-up
ramp protocol
static stretching
neuromuscular activation
vertical jump
sprint performance
title Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
title_full Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
title_fullStr Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
title_full_unstemmed Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
title_short Acute effects of the RAMP warm-up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
title_sort acute effects of the ramp warm up on sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players
topic warm-up
ramp protocol
static stretching
neuromuscular activation
vertical jump
sprint performance
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1612611/full
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