Exercise and health fitness is important to a healthy body and longevity. People of all ages are involved in physical exercise of some sort and many do not take a moment to understand the importance of warming up before any strenuous activity. Many exercisers repeatedly ignored warming up before working out, and fully understand the consequences of not doing so.Why should you warm up? Several changes takes place in the body once you begin physical activity. Your respiratory rate, blood flow, and oxygen and nutrient levels delivered to the cells significantly increases. The rate of increase should be regulated in a steady pace to prepare the body for the physical stress that exercise will demand.
If you skip this muscle warming procedure, the body will function less efficiently and the workout will produce less quality results. Warming up preps up the nervous system, heightens mental awareness and alertness, and loosens up joints and muscles to make them less prone to injuries. Warm ups jump starts the fluid located in the joints, minimizing the risk for wear and tear of the muscles. It gives the heart a suitable period to adjust and pump up blood and nutrients into muscles.
Warming up prior to exercise is vital for older people, since they have tissues that are less supple; they have joints with less fluid, and weaker hearts. Sudden exercise can may result in heart attacks or other medical emergencies. Always consult with your doctor when planning to exercise.
After working up a light sweat (suggested time is 3-5 minutes, longer if working out in a cold environment) you should do dynamic stretching. Stretching helps to developing overall flexibility, particularly in the spine, shoulder, and hip areas. The kind of stretching depends on the type of activity you plan to engage in. For instance, if you are about to play a particular sport, the recommended kind of stretching should mimics the movements that will be done in the court or field.
If participating in martial arts, do light sparring in one quarter of the normal speed, or just simply do the movements in slow motion. Be certain that the major muscles groups are stretched for 8 seconds minimum. Remember to keep feet moving or do leg exercises whenever the upper body is stretched to keep prevent blood from pooling in the legs. Don't forget, you should only do stretching if the muscles are already warmed up. Do not bounce while stretching. It leads to a contraction that can result in muscle tear or pull.
For weight-lifters, this is what should be done after the initial warm up. Load the bar with about 50-60% of the heaviest weight to be done for the session and perform the number of repetitions that will be done for the heavy sets. For the second set, the weight will be increased to 80%, then eventually to 90%, decreasing to 2-3 repetitions. Afterwards, rest for about 30 seconds, then repeat the steps. After this warm up, you can now proceed to the heavy lifting for the day. The advantage of doing the procedure is that the heavy sets will feel less daunting and can now be performed with considerably less stress.
After warming up and proceeding to the main workout, it is equally important to cool down. When you suddenly stop an exercise , blood gathers in the muscle and oxygen is blocked. When this happens, you risk having a heart attack or injury. So cooling down should have the same importance as warming up.
Exercise is good for the health. Everyone is encouraged to pump it up, just remember to remember all the necessary precautions not only to maximize the workout, but also to stay safe and healthy.
To your Healthy Body,
Jonathan Mckinney
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