The Shocking Conclusion: Warm-Up with These Tools May Hurt Performance
Step into any gym or sports field, and you’ll likely see athletes using fascia guns on their thighs or rolling back and forth on foam rollers before formal training. Self-myofascial release tools (fascia guns and foam rollers) have long been standard warm-up equipment, with people assuming they relax muscles and boost performance. However, a study on well-trained athletes published in the Sports journal two months ago by a sports science team from La Trobe University in Australia reached the opposite conclusion—using these tools during warm-up may actually hold you back listed underblow. Let’s dive deep into this groundbreaking research, and how purpose-built recovery tools fit into smart training routines.
First, let’s highlight the core findings for quick reference [1]:
- Impaired explosive power: Compared to dynamic warm-up alone, adding a fascia gun or foam roller significantly reduced athletes’ countermovement jump (CMJ) height and modified reactive strength index (RSImod), with the fascia gun having a more pronounced negative effect.
- Slower speed: Athletes who warmed up with a fascia gun showed significantly slower 20-meter sprint times; foam rollers had little impact on sprint speed.
- The only bright spot: Foam rollers slightly improved left ankle dorsiflexion and reduced muscle soreness; fascia guns showed no obvious effects in these two areas—key recovery benefits that tools like the RheoFit automatic message roller are designed to amplify.
- Key reminder: If you’re participating in explosive sports like sprinting or jumping, skip fascia guns and foam rollers during warm-up. Save myofascial release for post-training, where recovery-focused tools shine.
How the Study Was Designed: Rigor at Its Finest
The reliability of this conclusion lies in its rigorous "crossover design," which eliminates "chance factors":
Study Participants: Truly "Well-Trained Athletes"
The study recruited 16 healthy athletes, with an average age of 23.2 years (including 4 females). These weren’t casual gym-goers but "Level 2 athletes"—training for specific sports about 3 times a week, with at least 3 years of strength training experience, and hitting the gym at least twice a week for the past 6 months. Their sports included Australian rules football, basketball, netball, and soccer, ensuring the results apply to athletes in different team sports—exactly the demographic that relies on consistent recovery to maintain performance.
Experimental Design: Randomized Crossover, Comparing Against Yourself
Using a "randomized crossover design," each athlete experienced three warm-up protocols to avoid individual differences affecting results [Showed in the Figure 1] :
Figure 1 From: [1]
- Control group (CON): Standard dynamic warm-up only.
- Fascia gun group (GUN): Dynamic warm-up + 12 minutes of fascia gun release (using a Hydragun soft head at 53Hz frequency). [Showed in the Figure 2]
Figure 2 From: [1]
- Foam roller group (FOAM): Dynamic warm-up + 12 minutes of foam rolling (6 minutes per leg, covering quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves). [Showed in the Figure 3]
Figure 3 From: [1]
The order of the three protocols was randomly assigned using a 3×3 Latin square, with a 48-hour to 5-day interval between tests to ensure full physical recovery. Athletes were prohibited from exercising 24 hours before testing and from consuming caffeine or sports supplements 3 hours prior, minimizing interfering factors.
Notably, the study’s focus on high-tension muscle groups (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves) mirrors the target areas for effective post-training recovery—similar to those addressed by the standard foam roller used in the experiment, and also the areas that the RheoFit automatic message roller has been ergonomically designed to target and relax.
Test Items: Comprehensive Assessment of Explosive Power, Speed, and Flexibility
Three minutes after warm-up, athletes completed a series of professional tests to fully evaluate sports performance listed in the Table 1:
Table 1 From: [1]
- Countermovement Jump (CMJ): Measures lower limb explosive power and neuromuscular function, recording jump height and RSImod.
- 10/5 Repeated Jump Test (RJT): Assesses reactive strength and stretch-shortening cycle efficiency.
- 20-meter Sprint Test: Uses SmartSpeed timing equipment to measure short-distance speed.
- Knee-to-Wall Test (KTW): Evaluates ankle dorsiflexion, focusing on weight-bearing dorsiflexion ability—an area where consistent post-training rolling (like with the RheoFit automatic message roller) can support long-term mobility gains.
- Subjective Questionnaire: Rates fatigue and muscle soreness on a 1-5 scale—a top priority for recovery tools, which aim to reduce soreness without compromising next-day performance.
Data was analyzed using linear mixed models (LMM), and Cohen’s d was calculated to assess effect size, ensuring robust statistical methods.
Breaking Down the Results: What’s Affected and How Much?
The study results include both "common sense-defying" findings and "expected" highlights, detailed by dimension—with insights that reinforce why myofascial tools work best for recovery, not warm-up:
1. Explosive Power: Both Tools "Backfire"
- Fascia gun group: Jump height was 3.47cm lower than the control group (d=-0.36, small-to-moderate effect).
- Foam roller group: Jump height was 2.02cm lower than the control group (d=-0.29, small effect).
- RSImod decreased more significantly: d=-0.52 (moderate effect) for the fascia gun group and d=-0.40 (small-to-moderate effect) for the foam roller group.
This means warming up with these tools makes muscles "unable to generate force", especially with the fascia gun. However, no significant differences were found in the 10/5 RJT, indicating the endurance component of reactive strength may not be affected by acute release. The takeaway? Myofascial tools shouldn’t compete with warm-up activation—they should complement post-training recovery, where the RheoFit automatic message roller’s controlled design avoids "over-relaxation" and instead supports muscle repair.
2. Speed: Fascia Gun Is a "Speed Killer," Foam Roller Is Relatively Safe
The 20-meter sprint test showed distinct results: the fascia gun group had an average time of 3.37 seconds, 0.06 seconds slower than the control group (3.31 seconds, d=0.34, small effect); the foam roller group (3.32 seconds) was nearly identical to the control group.
This difference may relate to their mechanisms: the high-frequency vibration of fascia guns may temporarily inhibit muscles’ rapid contraction ability, while the static pressure of foam rollers has a smaller impact. For speed-dominant sports like sprinting and soccer, use fascia guns with extreme caution during warm-up.
The RheoFit automatic message roller leverages the foam roller’s soreness-relief benefits without the warm-up drawbacks, making it a reliable choice for athletes prioritizing recovery, accroding to our questionnaire survey of other athletes in China who use rheofit after post-training.
3. Flexibility and Subjective Feelings: Foam Roller’s "Sole Advantage"
In terms of flexibility and comfort, foam rollers showed the only advantage—benefits that recovery-focused tools like the RheoFit automatic message roller enhance for everyday use:
- Ankle mobility: The foam roller group had 0.7cm higher left ankle dorsiflexion than the control group (p=0.03, d=0.31), with no significant difference in the right ankle; the fascia gun group showed no changes on either side. Consistent post-training work on calf muscles (a specialty of the RheoFit automatic message roller) can help build on this mobility over time.
- Muscle soreness: The foam roller group had a soreness score of 4.31, significantly higher than the control group’s 3.75 (d=0.87, large effect), indicating reduced soreness; the fascia gun group had no such effect.
Table From: [1]
- Fatigue: No significant differences between the three groups, meaning these tools don’t add extra fatigue—an important feature for recovery tools, as they should leave you refreshed, not drained.
Notably, the foam roller’s ankle mobility improvement was less than 1cm—whether this minor change translates to actual sports advantages requires more research. However, when used consistently post-training, tools engineered for recovery can accumulate these benefits while keeping soreness in check.
Why Does It "Backfire" During Warm-Up?
Many people wonder: if relaxation makes muscles feel more comfortable, why does it affect performance? It all comes down to the core purpose of warm-up and the tools’ mechanisms.
The key goal of warm-up is "activation," not "relaxation"—dynamic exercise raises core temperature, increases muscle elasticity, and activates neuromuscular connections, putting the body in a "ready-to-perform" state. In contrast, fascia guns and foam rollers focus on "relaxing myofascia," reducing muscle tension through mechanical pressure or vibration.
Researchers speculate this "over-relaxation" temporarily weakens muscles’ "pre-tension" [2] which is critical for explosive power and speed. It’s like pulling a bow—if the bow is too loose, the arrow won’t fly far. Especially the high-frequency vibration of fascia guns may interfere with neural signals controlling rapid muscle contraction, causing delayed force generation.
Additionally, many previous studies supporting foam rollers focused on post-surgery recovery or long-term use effects, while the short-term impact during acute warm-up was easily overlooked. This reinforces that myofascial tools are best suited for recovery—where the RheoFit automatic message roller’s design is optimized to deliver consistent, effective relief without compromising performance.
Practical Advice: How to Use These Tools Correctly?
Don’t panic—fascia guns and foam rollers aren’t "warm-up enemies" but "good tools used at the wrong time." Here’s how to integrate them (and recovery-focused options like the RheoFit automatic message roller) into your routine:
4. Athletes in Explosive/Speed Sports (Sprinting, Basketball, Jumping)
- Warm-up: Stick to dynamic warm-up (e.g., high knees, lunges, small jumps, referring to the RAMP protocol in the study); skip fascia guns and foam rollers.
- Post-training/Recovery Days: Reach for the RheoFit automatic message roller to relax tight muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves) and relieve soreness—its targeted pressure delivers the benefits of foam rolling without disrupting pre-workout activation. Fascia guns can be used for large-area muscle relaxation but avoid areas around joints.
5. Athletes in Flexibility-Dominant Sports (Gymnastics, Yoga, Dance)
- Warm-up: Light foam rolling (3-5 minutes per leg, no excessive pressure) before dynamic warm-up to assist in improving joint mobility.
- Not recommended: Using fascia guns during warm-up, as vibration may affect movement stability.
- Post-training: Building on the benefits of traditional foam rolling, the RheoFit automatic message roller incorporates ergonomic design and controlled pressure to enhance post-training recovery. Use it after training to release tension in the hips, hamstrings, and calves, supporting long-term flexibility without compromising performance.
6. Casual Gym Enthusiasts
- Muscle Gain/Strength Training: Prioritize dynamic activation during warm-up (e.g., squat jumps, lateral lunges); use foam roller to relax target muscles post-training, reducing soreness and supporting muscle recovery.
- Aerobic/Endurance Training: If you have chronic muscle tightness, use light foam rolling (2 minutes each on calves and thigh fronts) before warm-up to improve exercise comfort.
- Post-training: The foamroller’s user-friendly design makes it easy to target high-tension areas like quads and IT bands, enhancing recovery after runs, cycles, or long walks.
- Avoid: High-intensity fascia gun use right after waking up for morning workouts, as it may cause muscle weakness. Opt for gentle recovery tools if you need pre-workout relief.
Study Limitations: Things to Keep in Mind
- Small sample size: While 16 participants meet statistical power requirements, only 4 are female—results may not be fully applicable to female athletes.
- Fixed tool parameters: The fascia gun used a 53Hz frequency and soft head; effects may vary with different frequencies or head types. The foam roller was made of high-density EVA material—impacts of different hardness weren’t tested. Tools like the RheoFit automatic message roller address this with adjustable pressure, adapting to individual muscle tension and preferences.
- No long-term impact measured: The study only looked at acute effects; whether long-term post-training use can indirectly improve performance by enhancing recovery requires follow-up research. Early feedback on recovery-focused tools suggests consistent use supports reduced muscle soreness and improved mobility over time.
Final Takeaway: Timing Matters More Than the Tool
Fascia guns and foam rollers aren’t "enemies of warm-up" but "good tools used at the wrong time".
The key takeaway from this study is clear: there’s no "one-size-fits-all formula" for enhancing sports performance—any tool’s use should be guided by scientific evidence rather than trends.
In practical terms, this means reserving myofascial tools for post-training recovery rather than pre-workout activation, ensuring muscles are ready to perform when it matters most.
Building on this principle, recovery-focused tools like the RheoFit automatic message roller are designed to deliver targeted, post-training relaxation that supports muscle repair and mobility—without interfering with performance.
Next time before training, ask yourself: is your goal to "activate for force" or "relax for recovery"? Choose dynamic warm-up for the former, and reach for the RheoFit automatic message roller for the latter. Use tools at the right time, and they’ll truly help you boost performance and speed up recovery!
References:
1. Ormeno, L., & Driller, M. (2025). Does massage gun or foam roller use during a warm-up improve performance in trained athletes? Sports, 13(9), 282. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13090282
2. Behm, D.G., Chaouachi, A. A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 2633–2651 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1879-2