Warming Up For Maximum Results

 

Warming up Correctly before an event, a game, or a work out is extremely important. We all Know this, but why don’t we do it ?

 

 

Some people use these

–      “My Friend didn’t warm up for years playing sport and never tore a muscle”

–      “It take too much time to Warm Up”

–      “I am not an athlete why should I”

–      “I just want to get into it”

–      “Warming up looks stupid”

This comes down to two things. Not correctly knowing how to warm up and you don’t want to look stupid, or you clearly don’t understand the benefits of warming up correctly.

 

Questions that normally come up when people are unsure on how to correctly warm up are

 

– Do I Stretch?

– How Hard Do I Go?

– What Movements Should I Do?

– How Much Time Should I Spend On Warming Up?

 

Well today we are going to go through exactly that, The “W’s” on stretching so that you get the most out of what your doing.

 

You will be faster, stronger, more competitive, reduce your risk of injury significantly, and improve your longevity of your fitness career (be casual workouts or elite athlete.

 

1) How much time should I spend on warming up?

 

5-10 minutes is generally enough time to warm up. By the end of a warm up you should have you heart rate elevated, generally warm (this is in term of body temperature) and be perspiring. If it is colder you will have to warm up for longer as the colder we get the more our body will keep our blood closer to our internal organs. This is why your toes and fingers are normally like ice and core is warm.

 

2) How hard should I go?

 

During warm ups your should progressively put more effort and intensity in. Start with 50% of your max effort and each set build up to 80% of max effort. For example if jogging is part of your warm up;

 

Lap 1 50%

Lap 2 60%

Lap 3 70%

Lap 4 80%

 

Remember the goal is to encourage blood flow to the parts of the body we are trying to use during your session. The increase in blood flow will carry extra oxygen and nutrients required for your work out and recovery.

 

3) What movements should I do?

 

This is a great question you should use dynamic movements that will imitate what you are going to use in your workout. This is where it can get a little tricky, how ever lets break it down into a gym work out first.

 

A Standard Resistance Training workout will consist of Push exercises (Utilizing Chest and Triceps, shoulders and core muscle groups), Pull exercises (Utilizing Back and bicep shoulders and core muscle groups) and Leg exercises (Utilizing quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves and core)

 

 

To do a full body warm up – Start with 10-20m length to warm up in (If you are limited on space you can just do these on the spot) we are going to do each movement for three laps increasing the intensity each lap as previously mentioned.

 

Basic Jogging – Forwards and Backwards

High Knees – Up walking on the return

Butt Kicks – Up walking on the return

Grape vine – working on getting the rotation through the hips and core

 

3 sets alternating 10 each way

 

Windmills – big circles with the arms going both ways to loosen up shoulders, pecs and upper back

Arm cross overs – starting wide and crossing over at the front of your body again loosening up the chest, shoulders, tri’s, bi’s and upper back

 

Push ups – 2 sets of a comfortable weight for 15 reps

Resistance band rows – 2 sets of a comfortable weight for 15 reps

Walking Lunges – 20 steps

Focus on engaging core during the whole warm up.

 

Warming up for Sport

 

When warming up for sports you would add movements that are relevant – if you are playing a sport where you need to move laterally can add ski jumps and side shuffles. For sports where you are lunging and kicking you would add gentle leg swings. If you are sprinting you would add calf pumps and some light skipping.

 

4) Do I Need to Stretch?

 

Yes but not through the use of static stretching but it is done through the use of dynamic movements like lunging, high knees, calf pumps, windmills, butt kicks, and the other exercises used above!

 

Stretching should not be eliminated from you workouts it should be used in your cool down  (We will also add another blog post on how to Cool Down)

 

 

5) What Are The Benefits Of Warming Up Correctly?

 

• Increased movement of blood through your tissues, making the muscles more pliable.
• Increased delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. This prevents you from getting out of breath early or too easily.
• Prepares your muscles for stretching – less chance you will get a muscle tear
• Prepares your heart for an increase in activity, preventing a rapid increase in blood pressure
• Prepares you mentally for the upcoming exercise – Focus!
• Primes your neuro-muscular pathways to be ready for exercise
• Improved coordination and reaction times

 

So from now on once you have read this post you warm up every session, every game.

Why Because You Want The Best Results Every Time You Step Into A Work Out!!

 

Stay Awesome Guys!

 

Tim Morgan

 

4 U Body Fitness

 

Mobile Personal Training Specialists

 

Create The You That You Want!

 

info@4ubodyfitness.com.au

 

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