Warming up

Chang-Hwa Bank warm up to prevent injuries on October 22, 2006.

A warmup is usually performed before participating in (technical) sports or exercising. A warmup generally consists of a gradual increase in intensity in physical activity. For example, before running or playing an intense sport one might slowly jog to warm muscles and increase heart rate. It is important that warm ups should be specific to the exercise that will follow, which means that exercises (of warm up) should prepare the muscles to be used and to activate the energy systems that are required for that particular activity. The risks and benefits of combining stretching with warming up are mixed and in some cases disputed. Warming up prepares your body mentally & physically.

Benefits

A warmup will improve the effectiveness of training and should be done before every training session. This is fundamental to a safe practice.

• Direct physical effects:
  1. Release of adrenaline
     • Increased heart rate
       • Enables oxygen in the blood to travel with greater speed
       • Increased production of synovial fluid located between the joints to reduce friction
         • Allows joints to move more efficiently
     • Dilation of capillaries
       • Enables oxygen in the blood to travel at a higher volume
  2. Increase of temperature in the muscles
     • Decreased viscosity of blood
       • Enables oxygen in the blood to travel with greater speed
     • Facilitates enzyme activity
     • Encourages the dissociation of oxygen from haemoglobin
     • Decreased viscosity within the muscle
       • Greater extensibility and elasticity of muscle fibres
         • Increased force and speed of contraction
  3. Increase of muscle metabolism
     • Supply of energy through breakdown of glycogen
  4. Increase in speed of nerve impulse conduction.

Types of warmups

• Head muscles: Spin your head both clockwise and anti-clockwise slowly and gently, spin it for 10 times. This could help stretching your muscles.

• Ballistic Stretches: Ballistic Stretches help extend limbs more during exercise to allow you to be more agile and flexible.

• Static Stretches: Flexing the muscles to help prevent injury and allow greater flexibilty and agility. Note that some sources discourage static stretching as muscles are more prone to damage if stretched while cold.

See also

• Cooling down

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