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Warming up is just another part of training. Many athletes do some kind of warm-up and cool-down during their training sessions and just like in any other event, they do it as a part of their training.
If they, who are professionals, dedicate some time to it, why don’t we, as amateurs, give it the same importance?
Index
Why is warm-up important?
A proper warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles to be exercised. It results in eliminating the initial muscle stiffness, decreasing the risk of injury and, in the same way, improving physical performance.
The warm-up is the part of the training session in which we “tell” the body and organism to get ready for the hard work ahead.
We also get the idea, physically and mentally, to face with guarantees the training or competitive event that follows.
How to warm-up correctly?
A warm-up should be relatively short, consisting of light and moderate exercises, as well as joint mobility, some of which are specific to the activity.
It will therefore be a way to induce the body to prepare for work, and reduce the risk of injury.
Warming up helps us to move from a basal rhythm to start greasing the machinery for the activity ahead, especially in the initial moments of the exercise. Warming up should not involve movements or efforts of a certain intensity, as we don’t want to “tire ourselves out” beforehand.
There are several ways of warming up, depending on the type of exercise to be performed, or the part of the body that we are going to work. In this case, you should choose certain exercises that are a little more specific.
We could talk about just the opposite, a warm-up is not a routine or “mini-workout” in itself.
Cardio Warm-up
It is best to start with the activity to be performed, but in a light manner.
We start by walking quickly, and then gradually start jogging. On the other hand, if the exercise is about a certain type of aerobic exercise, we can move the muscles involved by copying the same exercises, and then increase the vigorousness of the movement, for example, in an aerobics class, we wiggle our arms, intertwine them, raise our knees, etc.
Warm-up for Weight Work
Depending on whether we are going to involve the lower or upper body, or both, we will start by warming up with the first of the exercises to be performed in the routine. Generally, we start, although it is not always stipulated in the routine, with the most powerful exercise for that muscle area in question.
Our first exercise will be squats, and in this, the first series will be performed with very little weight, around 20-30% of our RM, and then we will increase the weights, and perform what are called approach series. In these, we will approach with 1, 2, or even 3 series, with a weight below the effective weight to be loaded.
Duration of warm-up
Depending on external conditions, a warm-up may be longer or shorter.
Thus, if we are in winter with low temperatures, it is much more difficult to warm up because the blood is very concentrated “inwards”. It must therefore be channelled “outwards”, i.e. towards the periphery, along the limbs, irrigating all the blood vessels and capillaries, and protecting us in the first instance from possible injury.
Another important point is that the higher the intensity of the subsequent activity, such as HIIT, the more critical the warm-up becomes, and we should not let it go unnoticed. On the other hand, if we are going to do a lighter, longer activity, the warm-up can be shortened.
- Mobilisation (we can use the Foam Roller)
- Running Technique (5-10min, we can incorporate various exercises such as “kipping”, lateral crosses, high knees…). Here is a great video:
- Warm-up (5min light jogging, below our target pace, followed by 2-3min walking)
Benefits of Warming-up
Increase the temperature of the muscle
It will allow more efficient contractions of the fibres, being produced with greater force, and relaxing faster. With this, speed and strength qualities are improved. By the same token, the chances of tears can be reduced.
Increase body temperature
Muscle elasticity is increased and improved, reducing strains and pulls.
Peripheral vasodilatation
The resistance of the blood vessels is reduced, while cardiovascular function improves. The engine is running!
Switching on the body’s cooling system
With this, the body’s thermoregulation system is tuned up, so that when we start to make significant efforts, all the energy produced is dissipated in the form of sweat, keeping the temperature of the organs stabilised, thus improving performance and not forcing us to stop the activity.
Increased blood temperature
This characteristic is conducive to improved endurance, since the higher the temperature, the easier it is for the haemoglobin in the blood to release oxygen. Increased muscle oxygenation means more fuel is supplied to the tissue, resulting in greater performance.
Improve joint range of motion
Hormonal changes. By warming up, the body increases the production of several hormones responsible for regulating energy production. During warm-up, this hormonal balance allows more carbohydrates and fatty acids to become available.
Mentalisation
This is a very important aspect, and it makes sense. If we intend to start a training session or if we are preparing for a competition, it is not very sensible that the first thing we do in our activity is to start directly with the exercise in question.
During the warm-up time, our minds are freed, our focus is increased, we review the strategy to be used (competition environment).
This relaxes the athlete and increases his or her concentration.
Warming-up properly to avoid injury
When a muscle is not used all day long (office work, sedentary activity, etc.), it cools down and stiffens or compacts. Let’s say it “goes to sleep”, crudely put.
As a result of this inactivity, the muscle’s range of motion, flexibility and ability to withstand (physical) stress are compromised, and the risk of fibrillar breaks increases dramatically, to a greater or lesser extent.
Major Muscle Tears
It is the most serious type, and can knock the athlete out for days, weeks, or even months.
Minor Muscle Tears
Also known as DOMS (“Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness”). Muscle soreness does not occur during the sports session itself, but shortly after, with the peak occurring 48-72 hours later.
You do a lot of leg work, and the next day you don’t feel bad, maybe a little tired, but nothing much, but the day after you feel all the pain.
DOMS are responsible for the inflammation, pain and stiffness experienced after an intense session, which in many cases coincides with new movements or new activities, or simply by exercising certain positions of a complete movement. Examples could be running downhill, squat movements but only the lower part, partial push-ups, etc.
Although it may seem the opposite, DOMS are not entirely negative, they are an indication that you have trained hard, even though your activity will then be affected in the days to come.
There is no magic method to eliminate these ailments, because if you create (micro) tears, they will have to be repaired, and you will have to feel “the whole process”.
However, through warming-up, they can be reduced to a certain level.
Warming up properly to perform better
Lactate, a by-product of anaerobic exercise, is responsible for the burning sensation experienced during and just after high-intensity training (not to be confused with any kind of ailment).As we maintain a high level over the course of training or any high-intensity activity, our body reaches a point at which it is no longer able to eliminate (reuse) this lactic acid, and in this, our performance begins to decline (or end).
However, this can be counteracted by supplying the muscle with sufficient oxygen. How? Well, by taking a break in our activity, and generating an instant drop in intensity, just enough to continue at the same level as before. This is the basis of intervallic or Tabata type training.
As we train more, we will become more capable, and the pause interval may decrease.
Lactic acid can also be reused as a fast fuel, and be used by muscles and tissues. As long as the body is able to even out this balance, all goes well.
This is because initially lactate concentrations increase very quickly, but once your body stabilises, it starts to recycle this substance as quickly as it is produced.
You can already see how important the warm-up is for the generation of lactic acid. We want the body to be in “work mode” before we get down to business with our routine or competition.
Related Entries
- Functional Training and its Benefits
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- EPOC: Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption
