A warm-up can only take 5 min…
…but can prevent an injury.
A warm-up is an important start to any exercise. Nevertheless, when we go to the gym, we might notice that the majority of people there do not do it at all! This might make you wonder if it is actually that useful and potentially something you could skip. But do these people, who go to the gym all the time and skip it, know any better? Well, let’s see!
There are various reasons why people skip a warm-up. It can be a bit of impatience or time constraints. Alternatively not understanding the importance of warming-up for health. Furthermore they might not realize that even a quick warm-up can help prevent injuries and improve their performance during the actual workout.
What happens when we warm-up?
When we do a warm-up, our body starts moving oxygenated blood full of nutrients to our muscles. Additionally it also speeds up heart rate and breathing. Consequently our muscles start to relax and our body temperature rises. As a result of these processes we reduce our risk of potential injury. A study ran by J Hum Kinet indicates that both warm-up and cool down do reduce delayed onset of muscle soreness known as DOMS and the study also concludes that a warm-up exercise has more significant impact on reducing DOMS than a cool down exercise. (1)
How long should a warm-up last?
The good news is, an efficient warm-up does not have to be long. Even a 5 min stretch before any exercise will do wonders. Not only it will get you ready for the workout, it will also reduce chances of any injury. A warm-up should start with a lower intensity and then increase the speed to bring the heart rate to the heart rate of the actual workout.
How to do a proper warm-up?
A good warm-up should increase your heart rate and cover the main muscle groups. Additionally it includes a few stretches focusing on the muscle groups that you are planning to mainly deploy during the main exercise.
Ideally you can split it into two parts. You start with some dynamic stretches and follow them by a few minutes of cardio.
Dynamic warm-up stretches
Stretches performed whilst warming up and cooing down are not the same. Cooling down stretches involve holding position for some time before returning to the original position. On the other hand warm-up stretches are rhythmic but controlled body movements that take the joints through a full range of motion. Ideally, you want to cover the main muscle groups. Additionally try to do a few stretches targeting any specific area that you are planning to focus on in the main workout.
For instance if you want to go for a run and ensure you prepare your body for it, the best is if you do overall warm-up stretches and cardio. Additionally include a few exercises that get your legs ready. Such examples can be leg swings, hip rotation, knee to chest, heel to bum. And there are many others.
Light warm-up cardio
After you have stretched, you ideally want to increase your heart rate in preparation for starting the actual workout. In order to do that you have various options available. Five minutes of low-intensity steady-state training on a rower, bike, or treadmill is a perfect option if you are at the gym.
Alternatively, if you are outdoors without any equipment, you can start your warm-up by doing a power walk on the spot. After a couple of minutes, pick up speed a bit. Furthermore do a few high knees, jumping jacks, lunges or squats and you are ready for the main exercise. Alternatively if you want to change things up a bit to avoid boredom, put some music on and dance for a few minutes.
Some great examples of warm-up exercises
Squats
Squats are great for your health as they work major muscle groups such as quadriceps, calves, core, hips, and glutes. Additionally they are perfect for improving your balance and stability.
Start by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then hinge at the hips and push your bum back. Keep your knees wide and bend them (don’t move them inward) while keeping your back straight. Don’t be afraid to go low. Return to the original position and repeat.
Standing arm circles
Arm circles are a great as as they help to loosen up your upper body and reduce a risk of injury.
Start by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Furthermore keep your arms straight by your hips. Then lift both arms and start performing arm circles in one direction. Repeat. Then after a few repetitions, swap the direction.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a great overall dynamic cardio exercise working your heart and lungs.
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then hop and lift your arms overhead until your hands are shoulder-width apart. Open your legs while keeping your joints flexible throughout the movement. Return to the original position and repeat.
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Resources:
The Effect of Warm-Up and Cool-Down Exercise on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness in the Quadriceps Muscle: a Randomized Controlled Trial,J Hum Kinet., Olav Olsen,1, Mona Sjøhaug,1, Mireille van Beekvelt,1 and Paul Jarle Mork1 2012 Dec; 35: 59–68., Published online 2012 Dec 30. doi: 10.2478/v10078-012-0079-4, PMCID: PMC3588693, PMID: 23486850, downloaded from the web 18/09/2024, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3588693/
