The Importance of Warming Up Before Exercise: Get the Most Out of Your Workout

Especially as we age, our bodies need a bit more preparation before jumping into a vigorous workout routine. Muscles take longer to get going and ligaments and tendons can be more prone to injury as they tend to be stiffer. A good warm up can help increase blood flow, lubricate joints, raise body temperature and prepare the body for the work ahead. In this blog post, we'll discuss some activity warm up ideas for warming up before any type of exercise - whether it's resistance training or cardio or anything in between.

If you find yourself feeling stiff and sluggish when working out, odds are you need to focus more on your warm-up routine. Warming up before exercise is essential for preparing your body physically and mentally getting for the workout ahead - especially if it's something a little more challenging. Yet so many of us skip this important step in our rush to get started. But warming up doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just a few minutes of easy movement and some dynamic stretching is all it takes to get your body ready to go. 

Light Cardio
For nearly every activity a good warm up should always include some light cardio to get the heart rate up and increase blood flow. This can be anything from a slow jog or walk to star jumps or even just marching in place.

Dynamic Stretching
You should also add in some dynamic stretching -  basically moving your joints and muscles through their full range of motion. This might include leg swings, arm circles, or trunk twists. Lean down and touch your toes, reach to the sky. Think about smaller joints like wrists and ankles too - a few circles each way feels great and only takes a few moments.

Specific Warm Ups for the Activity
Finally, it's important to do a few specific exercises that target the muscles you'll be using during your workout. For example, if you're going for a run, you might do some high knees or buttock kicks to warm up your legs. If you're lifting weights, you might do some bodyweight squats or push-ups to warm up your arms and chest. Have a think about which muscles will be working hardest and are most likely to get fatigued or end up sore. Give them a little love with some extra movement and they'll thank you for it later!

However you choose to warm up remember, the goal is to get your muscles warm and your heart pumping before you start your main workout. By taking the time to warm up properly, you'll not only reduce your risk of injury but you'll also be able to perform at your best. This is especially important if you're recovering from an injury, or have been prone to injury in the past. Biomechanically each of us is different and how we need to warm up will vary. 

If you're looking for help or ideas about how to warm up get in touch - our Tarragindi Physiotherapists would love to help! Give our friendly clinics a call on 07 3706 3407 or email [email protected]