A simple and quick warm-up can give you a better workout and reduce the risk of injury. Don’t worry, it can be done completely effectively without taking way too long. You can compare a warm-up to waking up in the morning. Right after you wake up in the morning it takes some time before we are properly present mentally and physically. The body has to wake up and the sleep has to leave the eyes before it is possible to focus on the day’s tasks. Nobody wants to start the day by stepping out of bed and straight into the school desk or the office. Warming up before exercise works in the same way.
The body and mind needs to be awakened and prepared for the physical work that needs to be done. Most people skip a good warm up because of time pressure. You will soon figure out that just 10 minutes of warming up on a busy day makes you get more out of a training. Warming up means that you can push your body a little further. It pays to warm up before training.
There are many ways to warm up. You will benefit from a warm-up if it gets the circulation going, the joints flexible and increases the heart rate. Remember to eat properly before a hard work out. More and more physicians promote plant-based diets for athletes.
This is what happens when you warm up the body before a work-out:
1. We increase our body temperature – this increases enzyme activity, which provides more and faster energy.
2. We increase the neural drive – activate motor units and initiate nerve signals between nerves and muscles.
3. We increase the ability to concentrate – mental alertness and release adrenaline.
4. We improve our coordination – it gives better technique and balance.
5. We increase the elasticity of the muscle tissue – this provides better mobility. 6. Joint fluid is put into production – it reduces cartilage friction and increases one’s mobility.
7. Warming up increases the individual’s performance. 8. Warming up reduces the risk of injury.
8. Improve your training and give you better results. Looking at athletes and people at the gym it us clear that too many of us neglect the warm-up. It is clear that the body benefits from it with better performance.
Here’s a quick and effective warm-up program which you can use if you need inspiration:
– 6-8 minutes of running, cycling, rowing or cross machine
– Heel kick for 20 seconds
– High knee lifts for 20 seconds x2
– Arm swing forward for 20 seconds x2
– Arm swing backwards for 20 seconds x2
– Hip roll clockwise for 20 seconds x2
– Hip roll counter-clockwise for 20 seconds x2
– 30 sec. minute dynamic stretching of the muscle groups you will be using