With every workout, we risk muscle inflammation. Muscle Inflammation is the smallest form of injury that occurs during exercise. What about more serious injuries then? Certainly, any injury can be prevented, and the cure for injury prevention is warming up.
Warming up is a necessary part of any workout. By warming up we prepare the body for physical activity. Gradually the heart rate rises which prepares the body for the activities you have planned. In addition, the muscles will be more flexible, which means your chance of injury is drastically reduced.
It would be best to warm up part by part, so muscle group by group. This will allow you to keep track of exactly what warm-up exercises you have done. We advise you to start from the head or feet.
As we all know, we warm up just before a workout or other physical activity, and it consists of stretching and light cardio exercises.
What do you achieve by warming up? Why is warming up important?
Warming up will activate your body. Often, exercisers do not warm up enough, which often results in injuries, from minor to severe. The most common injuries that occur due to absence or insufficient warming up are bone fractures and sprains.
In addition to mentally preparing you for the exercise you have planned, it also prepares you physically. It will help your body understand that physical exertion is coming, so it will expel blood to all important parts of the body. As the blood flows, the walls of your blood vessels will dilate and will supply all the organs with enough oxygen. As you warm up, your muscles begin to warm up, resulting in flexibility, and when you start exercising, your muscles will be able to perform movements that they would not be able to when cooled down.
In addition to preparing your body for exertion, warming up will reduce the possibility of muscle inflammation because your body has prepared in time. This will allow you to recover more easily from training, and also reduce the chance of stiffness and pain.
How to warm up?
Any warm-up should include cardiovascular exercise and stretch. All of these activities will help the body to get started. Also, your body will be able to send a message to the brain that physical activity is expected.
Set aside 15 to 30 minutes before each warm-up workout, and don’t skimp. Think about your body in time so that it is capable enough to defend you and react quickly enough to what is in front of you. In these 30 minutes, you will gradually increase your physical activity, which will gradually warm-up and prepare your muscles and joints.
Before we start exercising, make an appointment at the nearest gym. The gym will have a wide selection of tools and aids to help you throughout your workout. Tools will not be used in this warm-up, but you can definitely add them.
Limb warm-up exercises
- Leg warm-up exercises
By all means, don’t forget to do these exercises. You are aware that your legs are most affected when exercising, so you need to warm them up very well. You can try a classic squat to warm up your legs and buttocks.
To begin, stand up straight and squat slightly. Keep your feet flat on the ground, facing slightly outwards. Keep your feet level with your shoulders. From the starting position, lower yourself towards the ground, making sure your back stays straight. Keep your head in a natural position so that your head follows the spine straight. When lowering, you raise your arms in a controlled manner, and you consciously activate the muscles in your legs.
- Exercises to warm up the arms
Warming your hands reduces the possibility of a stiff neck, pain in the arms and elbows. Performing this exercise is quite simple.
Stand in an upright, standing position. Extend your arms to the right of you so that they are flush with your chest. The goal of this exercise is to circle the elbows, but with conscious activation of the muscles in the arms. Also, don’t forget both directions.
- Shoulder warm-up exercises
We often warm up our shoulders, but these exercises are still performed incorrectly, or incompletely. The most common mistake when performing shoulder warm-up exercises is an underutilized range of motion.
Stand in a classic position, stand and stretch your arms along your body. Keep your head straight, look in front of you, shoulders relaxed. From the starting position, circle your arms and strain to use the maximum range of motion. Circle your arms in both directions.
Exercises to warm up the rest of the body
- Exercise to warm up the chest muscles
Be sure to warm up your chest muscles, especially if you focus your physical activity on your chest, arms or back.
To begin, stand in an upright, standing position. Stretch your arms out in front of you, to chest height. When you start, first point your palms facing each other and move your hands away from each other. The goal of this exercise is to open the chest. Focus on controlled arm movement and chest muscle activation.
- Back warm-up exercise
We often forget this exercise, and we shouldn’t.
Stand in a classic standing position. Raise your arms in front of you, with your torso at a 90-degree angle. Straighten your head, look ahead. From the starting position, push your elbows back as far as they will go. The goal of this exercise is to move the shoulder blades. Make sure your shoulders are not raised when practicing this exercise.
- Exercise to warm up the abdominal muscles
Activating your abdominal muscles is a fairly simple job, keeping in mind that we activate our abdominal muscles several times a day unconsciously.
Stand in the starting, standing position. Keep your head straight and look forward. Keep your feet level with your shoulders. Cross your arms behind your head and start exercising. Touch the left knee with the elbow of your right hand. Be careful not to bend your other arm too far forward, as this will unknowingly tire your head muscles. Then repeat the same with the other side of the body.
Be careful with your body. If you are new to the world of exercise, make an appointment for free with a private trainer in the gym of your choice.
