Importance of Warming up Before Exercise and Five Great Warm Up Exercises

Warming up before exercising is important for many reasons.  It helps prepare the body physically and most importantly mentally for intense activity.  Warming up also helps reduce the risk of injury and enhances performance by improving muscle elasticity and range of motion.

Five important reasons to warm up before exercise include:

1. Increased muscle temperature – warming up helps increased muscle flexibility and efficiency by increasing blood flow which improves muscle elasticity and contraction.

2. Injury prevention – a proper warm-up helps gradually increase heart rate and circulation, thus preparing the body’s soft tissues for the stress of exercise. This can help reduce the risk of injury such as strains and tears.

3. Enhanced performance – warming up can mentally prepare you for the upcoming physical exertion. Practicing some of the moves you will be performing in your workout helps improve coordination and reaction times, optimizing performance during exercise.

4. Improved range of motion – performing dynamic stretches during your warmup helps enhance joint range of motion and flexibility. This allows more extensive and efficient movements during your workout routine.

5. Psychological readiness – warming up is especially important to help mental focus and enhance concentration for the upcoming workout. It can help reduce anxiety and stress related to exercise.

Five Warm-Up Exercises Supported by Research:

1. Dynamic arm swings – arm swings activate the upper body muscles and joints, promoting circulation and preparing your arms, shoulders and upper back for movement in your workout. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that dynamic stretching such as arm swings, increased muscle temperature and enhanced range of motion, without decreasing strength.

2. Leg swings – leg swings are a dynamic stretch and can help stretch the hip flexors, hamstrings and quadricep muscles to help enhance blood flow and joint mobility. Blood flow and joint mobility is crucial for any lower body activities. Research in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports suggests that dynamic leg swings improve hamstring flexibility.

3. Hip circles – hip circles are a great warm up exercise to help the hip joints and increase synovial fluid production and activate your core muscles. Core muscles are essential for stability during various exercises in your workout. Research published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy showed that hip circles improved hip joint mobility and flexibility!

4. Torso twists – torso twists are great in engaging core muscles, loosen your spine and increase circulation to the back muscles. This can help reduce the risk of strain during exercises that involve twisting motions. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that torso twists enhanced trunk flexibility and prepared the spine for rotational movements in exercise.

5. Calf raises – let us not forget about the ankles! Calf raises warm up the ankles, achilles tendon, and calf muscles, which helps increase their elasticity and readiness for activities, especially activities such as running and jumping. Research in the Journal of Sports Sciences demonstrated that calf raises improved ankle joint flexibility and help reduce the risk of ankle injuries.

Warming up before exercises is important.  Incorporating dynamic stretches helps prepare the body for physical activity, helps prevent injuries and helps improve overall exercise performance.

Do not forget to warm up! And remember to drink plenty of water!