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How long after a warm up do you need to start the activity before you lose the benefits?
For instance, if I warm up at home can I then cycle 15 minutes to the swimming pool to do my lengths?
Or if I warm up before wakeboarding then get in the boat but am the last on the water 45 minutes later, are my stretches wasted because the soft tissue has already cooled?
I am more concerned with better mobility to prevent injury than being fast off the line.
I have wondered this in the past too and don't know the anwser.
I think it depends on what system you're referring too. Going by low level niggles I've experienced, activating the muscles and getting blood flow to them I think has benefits which can last throughout the day and has put me in a better position for when I've started exercising than had I not have done them.
I would think a 15 minute cycle would be fine (if not beneficial to warming up) between warming up and swimming, it'd certainly keep your cardio system going. .
If doing particularly intense strength or cardio a warm up closer to when you start the exercise would probably be better at a guess.
Takes me 30 mins to ride to the gym for a free-weights session and that seems to do it for me. The warm down on the other hand can be tricky.