###### Abstract  
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different stretching techniques used during warm-up exercises prior to post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) on the explosive lower extremity strength performance of soccer players. This cross-sectional study involved the participation of 13 male soccer players with an average age of 22.38 \(\pm\) 1.75, body height of 174.38 \(\pm\) 3.94, and body mass of 72.30 \(\pm\) 4.13. To determine the participants' maximal strength performance, one repeated maximal strength (1-RM) squat exercise was applied. The PAPE protocol was then implemented with a squat exercise consisting of three repetitions at 80% of 1-RM. The warm-up protocols consisted of 5 min of cycling, followed by dynamic stretching, static stretching, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching exercises. These protocols were applied on four different days with a 72 h interval. A vertical jump test was conducted to measure the participants' explosive strength performance. The research data were analyzed using IBM Statistics (SPSS version 26.0, Armonk, NY, USA) software. The findings of this study revealed statistically significant differences in vertical jump performance values after PAPE among participants based on the different stretching techniques used during warm-up (\(p\) = 0.00). In this context, the research concluded that dynamic stretching is the optimal stretching technique during warm-up exercises before PAPE to maximize its effects. On the other hand, static stretching was found to negatively affect performance by absorbing the PAPE effect. PAPE; soccer; warm-up +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
**Citation:** [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON] The Effects of Different Stretching Techniques Used in Warm-Up on the Triggering of Post-Activation Performance Enhancement in Soccer Players. _Appl._  
Footnote 1: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Türkiye; [PERSON]ESS]  
Footnote 2: Institute of Health Sciences, Inonti University, 44000 Malatya, Türkiye; [PERSON]L_ADDRESS]  
Footnote 3: Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Nis, 18000 Nis, Serbia; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.S.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (T.P.-I.) Footnote 4: Department of Physical Education and Sport Teaching, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, 44000 Malatya, Türkiye; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Footnote 5: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, University of Physical Education in Krakow, 31-571 Krakow, Poland  
Footnote 6: Institute of Sports Sciences, University of Physical Education, 31-571 Krakow, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Footnote 7: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Andrzej Frycz-Modrzejewski Krakow, 30-705 Krakow, Poland  
Footnote 8: Institute of Physical Culture Studies, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland  
Footnote 9: Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.R.) ###### Abstract  
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different stretching techniques used during warm-up exercises prior to post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) on the explosive lower extremity strength performance of soccer players. This cross-sectional study involved the participation of 13 male soccer players with an average age of 22.38 \(\pm\) 1.75, body height of 174.38 \(\pm\) 3.94, and body mass of 72.30 \(\pm\) 4.13. To determine the participants' maximal strength performance, one repeated maximal strength (1-RM) squat exercise was applied. The PAPE protocol was then implemented with a squat exercise consisting of three repetitions at 80% of 1-RM. The warm-up protocols consisted of 5 min of cycling, followed by dynamic stretching, static stretching, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching exercises. These protocols were applied on four different days with a 72 h interval.