When you’re preparing for a workout (or a race), one of the most important things you can do for your body is to warm up properly. A proper warm-up is important because it will help keep your body mobile, limber, and avoid injury.
Why Warming-Up is Important
Think of your muscles as rubber bands. When you haven’t used a rubber band in a while, it starts to stiffen. Your muscles are the same; if you don’t use them for a while, they can also stiffen.
If you work at a desk for most of your day, getting up and immediately starting a workout is a significant change for your body. Your cold, unstretched bands (muscles + connective tissue) are pulled apart and stretched very quickly. This sudden change to your muscles and connective tissue can lead to injury, which we all want to avoid.
What is a Proper Warm-Up?
A good warm-up should last ten to fifteen minutes and include exercises that will gradually increase your heart rate and promote blood flow to your working muscles. At the same time, you want to spend your warm-up taking your muscles and joints through a full range of motion to ensure that everything is functioning well and pain-free.
Below are some examples of movements you might do in a warm-up:
- Bodyweight squats
- Lunges
- Hip rotations
- Push-ups
- Arm swings
- Shoulder rotations
Prepare for Your Workout
When thinking about your warm-up, keep your upcoming workout in mind. You want to make sure that you’re warming up the muscles and parts of your body that you will be using in your workout of the day.
Less Risk for Injury
By taking a few extra minutes before your workout to warm up your muscles and prepare your body to work out, you’re immediately decreasing the risk of injury. You’re also setting yourself up for a more successful workout.
To learn more about the programs we’re currently offering at Desert Shield Fitness, contact us today.
