Not many people fully understand the importance of properly warming up before engaging in physical exercises. Far too often, individuals dive straight into their workout routine, unaware of the potential consequences of skipping this crucial preparatory step. However, the truth is that warming up should be an integral part of any exercise regimen as it plays relevant role befor and after your workout.
Why do you need to warm up?
The warm-up is a series of light physical activities performed before the main workout or exercise routine. The primary purpose of a warm-up is to gradually prepare the body for the more intense physical demands that will follow. Here’s why it is important to warm up.
- Research shows that warming up gradually increases blood flow to the muscles, making them more pliable and less susceptible to strains, sprains, and other injuries. The sudden stress on unprepared tissues can lead to painful and potentially long-lasting consequences.
- A proper warm-up helps prepare the body for the upcoming workout, improving strength, power, and overall exercise efficiency. Muscles feel more responsive and less stiff when adequately warmed up.
- Warming up increases the range of motion in muscles, tendons, and ligaments, allowing for greater ease and efficiency of movement during exercise.
- A warm-up gradually increases heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature. This helps pump oxygen and nutrients to the muscles more efficiently, reducing overall stress on the body.
- Taking time to warm up can help mentally prepare the individual, getting them focused and ready to engage in the workout.
- Warming up activates the body’s cooling mechanisms, such as sweating, which helps prevent overheating during exercise.
- Warming up can help minimize muscle soreness after exercise by loosening muscles and reducing strain
The Consequences of Skipping the Warm-Up
When people neglect the warm-up stage and dive straight into strenuous physical activity, they expose themselves to several potential risks:
- Increased Injury Risk: Without proper warm-up, the muscles, tendons, and joints are more susceptible to strains, sprains, and other types of injuries. The sudden stress on unprepared tissues can lead to painful and potentially long-lasting consequences.
- Reduced Performance: Skipping the warm-up can limit the body’s ability to perform at its best during the workout. Muscles may feel stiff and less responsive, leading to a decrease in strength, power, and overall exercise efficiency.
- Delayed Recovery: Without a proper warm-up, the body may take longer to recover from the workout, as the muscles and other tissues have not been adequately prepared for the physical demands.
- Cardiovascular Strain: Jumping into a strenuous workout without a warm-up can also place excessive strain on the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and other stress-related responses.
How does a person warm up properly? 
Walk and jog – Initially, it can be done in any procedure that enables the heart to beat faster. But now one can simply walk and jog, or use cardiovascular equipment like a rowing machine or a bicycle. The first thing to do is to begin at a gentle pace, and then slowly increase the pace until the heartbeat rate increases and the body temperature rises. It important to note that the pace should be in accordance with one’s current fitness level, where the activity will leave the person energized and not exhausted.
Dynamic Stretching – After working up a light sweat (suggested time is 3-5 minutes, longer if the person is working out in a cold environment) the next to consider is dynamic stretching.
Stretching helps in developing overall flexibility, particularly in the spine, shoulder, and hip areas. The kind of stretching depends on the type of activity a person plans to engage in.
For instance, if one is about to play sports, the recommended kind of stretching would be the ones that mimic the movements that will be done on the court or field. If you are interested in martial arts, light sparring can be done in the quarter of the normal speed, or just simply do the movements in slow motion. Be certain that the major muscle groups are stretched for 8 seconds minimum.
It is necessary to always keep feet moving or do leg exercises whenever the upper body is stretched to keep prevent blood from pooling in the legs. Remember, one should only do stretching if the muscles are already warmed up. Do not bounce while stretching. It leads to a contraction that can result in muscle tear or pull.
Weight-lifters should weight lift after the initial warm-up. Load the bar with about 50-60% of the heaviest weight to be done for the session and perform the number of repetitions that will be done for the heavy sets. For the second set, the weight will be increased to 80%, then eventually to 90%, decreasing to 2-3 repetitions. Afterward, rest for about 30 seconds, then repeat the steps. After this warm-up, one can now proceed to the heavy lifting for the day.
The advantage of doing the procedure is that the heavy sets will feel less daunting and can now be performed with considerably less stress.
What you should do after warming up
Cooling down after a workout is just as important as warming up, and often overlooked. Let me expand on the importance of cooling down and how it complements a proper warm-up routine:
- Gradually reduces heart rate and blood pressure back to normal levels
Helps remove lactic acid and other byproducts from the muscles, reducing post-exercise soreness - Prevents blood from pooling in the muscles, which can lead to dizziness, nausea or even fainting
- Keeps the muscles active and engaged, rather than abruptly stopping
Mentally transitions the body from an intense workout to a relaxed state.
Proper Cooling Down Techniques
- Light aerobic activity for 5-10 minutes, such as walking or slow jogging
- Static stretching of the major muscle groups used during the workout
- Deep breathing exercises to regulate breathing and heart rate
- Foam rolling or light massage of the muscles to aid recovery
In conclusion, warm up 5-10 minutes of light aerobic activity and dynamic stretches to prepare the body for exercise, next is the actual strength training, cardio or sport-specific activity, and down to cool down. This will take 5-10 minutes of light aerobic activity and static stretching to gradually return the body to a resting state.
ALSO READ: 14 Best Exercises To Increase Your Stamina
