Warm Up Before You MOVE IT
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Warm Up Basics

Warming up is important as it prepares your body for physical activity. Muscles and joints perform much better when warm and make you less of a risk for injury.

Warming up isn’t just stretching. Stretching should be part of the warm up and something that follows a gentle activity that actually warms the body up. There have been various studies on the benefits of stretching and whether it helps actually reduce injuries. Experts agree that stretching before exercising is good to do.

Warming the body up with stretching not only helps physically, but it also helps you to focus on the game or activity ahead.

How To Warm Up

First, do some gentle jogging and running with various exercises that help get muscles and body warm. Your warm up can last from 4 to 10 minutes, depending on your time limits, the activity that you’re about to do and the temperature.

A few short sprints, jumping jacks, jumping rope, calisthenics or running in place for 30 second time periods is enough to get the body and mind working sharper.

Once this part of the warm up is complete, start with some gentle stretching.

Stretch

Do your muscles often feel tight? You might be an exercise fanatic, but you might still get a stiff neck and muscle cramps after your workouts. If so, in order to keep yourself healthy and flexible, it’s important to stretch well. Whether you're racing for first place or just racing to catch the bus, stretching prevents aches and pains and keeps your muscles, tendons and ligaments healthy.

Here are some basic stretches for your most important muscle groups. Doing them will help prepare you for basic physical activity and help you unwind afterwards. Keep in mind, if you're planning a particularly grueling workout, you'll want to develop a more complete stretching routine. But the stretches described here will be a good start for most activities.

Benefits

Stretching does two major things for us in our body’s cells. First, it extends muscle fibers, actually lengthening them. Second, it increases blood flow to the muscles, ligaments and tendons, providing your cells with more oxygen and nutrients.

Stretching is one of the easiest gifts we can give our bodies. If you're about to exercise, stretching will help prevent injuries and increase your energy. Even if you're not ‘the exercising type’, stretching will increase your flexibility, help your coordination and reduce your muscle tension.

You'll get the greatest benefits from stretching if you make it a regular habit, a part of every workout or your daily routine. It's never too late to start! However, if you have any injuries or health problems, be sure to check with a physician before you begin anything new.

Start Stretching

There are three main types of stretching: Static, Dynamic and PNF. Below, each stretch type is defined and then sample stretching routines follow.

Static Stretching

Static stretching is what you should always start with. Basically, it means holding a stretch for around 5 - 10 seconds. While holding the stretch, remember not to bounce or force the stretch. We suggest starting with the muscles at the bottom of your legs and moving up your body in your stretches:

1. Calves
2. Hamstrings
3. Quadriceps/Thighs
4. Groin
5. Hips
6. Lower back
7. Shoulders
8. Neck

Dynamic Stretching

After doing static stretches, move on to some dynamic stretches, which take the body through the types of movement that it will do during the activity. For example, leg swings - take turns swinging your leg front and back, as well as across the body. These can be done standing up, using a partner or wall to lean on, or as part of some running drills.

PNF

PNF is short for ‘Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation’ and uses advanced isometric stretching techniques, thus increasing greater flexibility. These stretches are common with gymnasts and martial artists who need exceptional flexibility. Many experts don’t recommend using these stretches as they require careful supervision and there is the risk of over-stretching and possible injury.