Game Day Strategies To Optimize Performance
Everyone has a pre-game ritual. It’s important to build routine into game-day. As coaches, we spend tons of time programing the perfect sports performance training program, but how much do we lose in the absence of poor choices made immediately before game-day. Lack of sleep, poor hydration, nutrition, and stress are just a few factors that can impact our performance. In this week’s SciSport blog, we dive into a recent article from the Strength and Conditioning Journal, “Precompetition Strategies to Improve Performance in Endurance or Repeated Intermittent Activity: Evidence and Practical Suggestions” by Valcarce-Merayo, et al. (2023) (1) This article explores single session exercised-based strategies to optimize performance directly before competition.
Priming Sessions
It’s common in sports to have a “morning workout” on game-day. The idea is that by doing “pre-activation” or “pre-competition” exercises, the body will be primed for optimal physical performance. A study involving soccer athletes performed a morning priming routing that included quick squats, speed ladder drills, and sprints resulting in improved anaerobic performance 5.5 hours later that same day.(2) The key is to not fatigue or exhaust the athletes. Priming workouts the day of competition need to be short and concise.
Participating in a morning session can also be helpful in optimizing psychological readiness. Morning priming sessions can reduce anxiety and enhance mental readiness for sport participation. A recent study demonstrated improved psychophysiological state in rugby players following a priming session.(3)
A proper Warm-Up
A warm-up is done closer to competition compared to a priming exercise. It prepares the body for high-intensity physical work in the immediate time following. It is useful for all types of exercise such as boosting aerobic energy production for high-intensity performance and improving metabolic and gas exchange for endurance work.(4) Coaches should use caution when prescribing intensity too avoid fatigue accumulation. A moderate-intensity warm-up is just as beneficial if not more than a high-intensity warm-up. A warm-up at 40% Vo2 Max has been recommended to improve oxygen uptake and energy production.(6) Plyometrics done with an external load (weight vest, etc) can boost endurance performance and running efficiency.(5)
PAPE
The end stage of a warm-up session should include exercise to achieve Post-Activation Performance Enhancing (PAPE) effects. These movements, often times quick and explosive prime the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, hormonal system, and cardiovascular system to be prepped and ready for more activity.
“PAPE describes the enhancement in voluntary muscular performance in a subsequent test after high-intensity voluntary conditioning contractions...” (1)
These activities generally consist of plyometric, ballistic, or heavy >85% 1RM movements. A study demonstrated improved running economy in runners after completing a few sets of various jumps and bounds immediately before running. (7) An example of heavy resistance exercise promoting the PAPE effect was demonstrated in a study using 4x5RM leg press reduced time in a 20-km time trial by 6.1% in cyclists.(8)
Priming, Warm-Up, & PAPE
Priming
48 -1 hour before competition
Low volume, sport specific exercises
Warm-Up
1hr-15min before competition
Active duration of ~15min
60-70% Vo2 Max
PAPE
15-1min before competition
Low-Volume heavy resistance - OR - ballistic exercises
Generally included as the end stage of the warm-up
Benefits may be lost if follow-up competition is >30min after
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References:
Valcarce-Merayo, Eduardo MSc, CSCS1; Latella, Christopher PhD2,3. Precompetition Strategies to Improve Performance in Endurance or Repeated Intermittent Activity: Evidence and Practical Suggestions. Strength and Conditioning Journal 45(4):p 450-461, August 2023.
Donghi F, Rampinini E, Bosio A, Fanchini M, Carlomagno D, Maffiuletti NA. Morning priming exercise strategy to enhance afternoon performance in young elite soccer players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 16: 407–414, 2021.
Marrier B, Durguerian A, Robineau J, et al. Preconditioning strategy in rugby-7s players: Beneficial or detrimental? Int J Sports Physiol Perform 14: 918–926, 2019
Jones AM, Koppo K, Burnley M. Effects of prior exercise on metabolic and gas exchange responses to exercise. Sports Med 33: 949–971, 2003.
Barnes KR, Hopkins WG, McGuigan MR, Kilding AE. Warm-up with a weighted vest improves running performance via leg stiffness and running economy. J Sci Med Sport 18: 103–108, 2015.
Bailey SJ, Vanhatalo A,Wilkerson DP, Dimenna FJ, Jones AM. Optimizing the "priming" effect: Influence of prior exercise intensity and recovery duration on O2 uptake kinetics and severeintensity exercise tolerance. J Appl Physiol (1985) 107: 1743–1756, 2009.
Blagrove RC, Holding KM, Patterson SD, Howatson G, Hayes PR. Efficacy of depth jumps to elicit a post-activation performance enhancement in junior endurance runners. J Sci Med Sport 22: 239–244, 2019.
Silva RA, Silva-Ju´ nior FL, Pinheiro FA, Souza PF, Boullosa DA, Pires FO. Acute prior heavy strength exercise bouts improve the 20-km cycling time trial performance. J Strength Cond Res 28: 2513– 2520, 2014.
Disclaimer: This SciSport blog post is a summary of an article printed in an academic research journal. The purpose of this blog post is to provide readers with academic and educational content in an easy-to-understand format. We take no credit for the material and knowledge presented, and we encourage readers to take a look at the original source provided in the References section
