How to warm-up
We have been told time and time again that before any
workout we must warm up and we have been told about the risks of skipping a
warm-up, however it is very rare that any instructor, coach or P.E teacher
actually gives the correct (if any) instruction.
In this post I will outline the basics of a warm-up so that
you may apply them to any workout you do.
Firstly I need to disparage the classic school warm-up which
was simply the P.E teacher barking out a list of static stretches where the
only movement was rolling your neck (an action they now discourage in schools).
A cold muscle should never be stretched. Whether you are a fan of static stretching or
not it is agreed that it should never be the first thing you do.
A warm-up begins with controlled easy cardio that is
relatable to the muscles worked in the main workout (see a few suggestions
below). The cardio will increase blood
flow to your muscles, increase the temperature of your joints which in turn
loosens synovial fluid lubricating the joint and aiding movement and prepares
your heart for the ahead hard work.
|
Workout
|
Warm-up Cardio
|
|
Running
|
Brisk walking
|
|
Boxing
|
Skipping
|
|
Upper body Weights
|
Light Rowing
|
The Cardio I would always recommend an absolute minimum of
three minutes but 5-10 would better.
Now that your muscles are warm you are free to stretch
gently. Personally I prefer dynamic stretching but by no means drop static
stretching if that’s what you prefer.
Focus on slow controlled stretches hitting multiple muscles,
I will go into more detail on dynamic stretching in a later post.
A crucial dynamic stretch would be touching your toes (with
bent knees if needed) and slowing reaching above your head, stretch out at the
top of the movement and hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat ten times.
Static stretches should be held for 8-10 seconds and should
never be forced. A quick note to mention
in regards to the negative press with static stretches, yes it is true that if
forced they can be detrimental to you however it is hard to argue with the fact
that athletes world wide have used static stretching for millennia to increase
flexibility. Its success through the ages speaks for itself.
Finally to bridge the gap between warm-up and workout I
recommend gently transitioning. For example if you are boxing spend a round
doing shadow-boxing, if you are hitting the weights do some lighter work for a
set or two or perhaps some brief basic callisthenics.
In short;
Cardio: 3-10 minutes
Stretches: 3-10 stretches repeated 2-3 times
Transition: 2-3 minutes
Now get some work done!
Cheers
