You get to the gym and you’re pumped and ready to attack those weights. You get changed as quick as possible and run straight to the Smith rack and load it up with a stack of weights. You are full of energy and want to blow off the frustration of the day with a massive set of bench press. You think it will relieve the stress of a hard day. What you are actually doing is setting yourself up for an injury.
A good warm-up is something that is absolutely necessary before you get to the meat and bones of any type of activity. The warm-up prepares you both physiologically and psychologically for the upcoming workout. It gives you the time to mentally be ready for your workout. It is a good gear switcher. You can leave behind the thoughts about work and start to focus on what you want to accomplish during your workout. During your warm-up visualize yourself doing the exercises you have prepared for that day. See yourself going through the motion and think about proper posture and technique. By getting your mind into the game, you will see that your workouts will gain an added focus.
There are several physiological benefits to a warm-up. It allows the temperature of your muscles to gradually increase which reduces the chance of injuring muscles and joints. This also leads to an increase in the speed and strength of muscle contractions. Your body will also adjust blood flow due to the increased need for oxygen. The circulatory system will go from vasoconstriction (blood towards the center of the body) to vasodilation (blood out towards your limbs). By introducing your body to exercise gradually, you will put less stress on the cadiovascular system.
If you go from the car straight to that bench press it will shock the system and place a high level of stress on the body. By gradually increasing the intensity, your body can make the necessary adjustments to blood flow in the body and make up for the increased demand for oxygen. Which will lead to an increase in performance based on the fact that your body will be more efficient at delivering oxygen to the working muscles. With more oxygen in your muscles you will prevent the early onset of fatigue and reduce the early accumulation of lactic acid. The warm-up will also increase the speed of nerve impulses which will lead to better coordination and will also positively affect the speed and strength of muscle contractions.
If your warmup is done properly, you will notice an increase in your heart rate, breathing rate and your body temperature. The time between breaths will shorten and due to the increased body temperature you will start to perspire. You want to increase your heart rate by 40-75 beats per minute. A good way to gauge this is to use the heart monitor features on most cardio equipment. When you start out, place your hands on the heart rate receiver and find out what your heart rate before exercise is. Generally speaking you want your heart rate to climb to around 110 beats per minute. This should take about 5 minutes. However, it can take longer for begginners.
If you are warming up at the gym, any of the machines are a good choice. But if you are about to engage in a sport, you want your warmup to mimick the movements you are about to perform. For example, if you are about to compete in a soccer game you want to start by jogging up and down the field. Then move to making lateral movements and jogging backwards. Finally you want to jog turning into a sprint. These actions will prepare your body for the type of movement you will engage in during the game. It will also prepare your mind by allowing you to visualize moving with and without the ball.
A proper warm-up is essential to a good workout. It prepares you both mentally and physically and by gradually increasing the intensity, you prevent yourself from getting injured. So the next time you hit the gym, make sure to take five minutes to warm-up. You’ll notice the difference it makes.
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