A warm up should, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, contain three major elements: a pulse raising activity, joint mobility exercises and stretches. Warm ups can be very brief or very comprehensive depending on your level of fitness, age, the ambient temperature and the activity for which you are preparing your body. Warming up before exercise offers a number of benefits.
Raising your Pulse
The average resting heart rate is around 72 beats per minute, or BPM for short. When you exercise, your heart rate can increase up to or even over 200 BPM depending on your age, fitness level, and the type of activity you are performing. An incremental warm up gradually increases your heart rate so that you don't elevate your heart rate too quickly. Raising your heart rate gradually eases the transition from inactivity to exercise and will make the first few minutes of your workout much more comfortable.
Joint Mobility
A joint is the term used to describe the union of two or more bones. Your ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders and elbows are the primary joints used when you work out. The mobilization aspect of your warm up increases the production of synovial fluid within your joints. Synovial fluid lubricates and nourishes your joints, which helps them move more smoothly and reduces wear and tear. Your joints tend to become drier as a result of inactivity so warming up ensures that your joints are fully prepared and protected during your workout.
Flexibility
Sitting and standing for long periods of time can make your muscles tighten up. This is called adaptive shortening. To go from inactivity to performing large range of movement exercises without some form of transition may increase your risk of suffering a muscle strain. Stretching during your warm up increases muscle length and tissue elasticity and may help reduce your chances of suffering a painful injury. You should only stretch your muscles once they are warm and ideally after you have mobilized your joints.
Exercise Rehearsal
A well-designed warm up usually contains easier versions of the elements that will be performed in your main workout session. A weightlifter will perform a few sub-maximal sets of the exercises he is going to do in his training session whereas a sprinter will perform some half and three-quarter speed running. This opportunity to practice before the main part of the workout means that you are better prepared for the demands of the coming exercises. It also provides the opportunity to practice specific technique before increasing exercise intensity.
References
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- "Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training"; Thomas Kurz; 2003
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
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