It's important to complete a comprehensive warmup before participating in a workout, practice or athletic event. Whether you work out to improve your general fitness or to participate in a professional competition, warming up will maximize the effectiveness of your workout and improve your performance. A proper warmup takes about 10 to 20 minutes, progresses from low to high intensity and consists of two phases, which includes the general warmup and the specific warmup.
Significance
Properly warming up before you work out or compete in an athletic activity helps ensure that your muscles are prepared before incorporating more intense movements. Your body temperature, blood flow and body temperature increase. As a result, according to Duke Health, your performance during your workout session or competitive event will improve, and you will decrease the risk of injury.
General Warmup
The general warmup phase lasts five to 10 minutes and is solely focused on increasing your core temperature, blood flow and breathing rate. At the end of the phase, you should be perspiring. General activities include jogging, jumping rope, riding a bike, toe walking, arm swings and circles, arm hugs, leg kicks and swings, skipping, high knee jog, butt kick jog, lunges, back pedal jogs and toe touches. Set out cones about 30 yards apart, and do one to two repetitions of each general warmup activity.
Specific Warmup
The specific warmup phase also lasts five to 10 minutes, and it uses movements that are similar to the movements that are included in your sport or activity. For example, after completing the general warmup phase, a baseball player may take practice swings with a baseball bat or sprint around the bases. A basketball player may do ball-handling drills up and down the court or may complete repetitions of jumping toward the rim. A distance runner may do repetitions of higher intensity runs.
Considerations
Warmups used to consist of static stretching, which requires you to slowly move into a position when your muscle is being stretched and then hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds. This type of flexibility training improves flexibility. However, according to June Smedley of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, it is not an appropriate activity to do during a warmup. In a sense, static stretching lulls your neuromuscular system to sleep and adversely affects its contractile properties and your physical performance. It's an effective activity to perform during a cool down after your workout when your muscles are warm.
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