The Skills for Warm up Exercises

Don't expect your body to go from zero to sixty when you work out. Even elite athletes have to do a thorough warm-up for optimal performance and injury preven­tion. Warming up prior to exorcise provides you with that much- needed transition from sedentary to active. It prepares your body and mind for the more strenuous activity to follow, and it minimizes the likelihood of injury—a most important twofer. The warm-up is so named because the movements slowly increase your body's core and muscle temperature, which effec­tively increases the elasticity of your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Your built-in temperature regulator, perspiration, helps to prevent your body from overheating.

A warmed muscle both contracts more intensely and relaxes more easily. Your muscles contract and relax as you continue to work them through their full range of motion. As your muscles warm up, you continue to increase the number of muscle fibers that can contract together, which places less stress on the individual fibers. A stronger and healthier muscle is less vulnerable to injury.

The warm-up exercises also allow time for your heart to adjust to the increased workload. Your blood vessels dilate to assist addi­tional blood flow to the muscles, carrying increased oxygen and nutrients, such as blood sugar and adrenaline. The endurance and performance of your muscles is further fueled by increases in your blood temperature. The warm-up exercises improve per­formance, but, more important, they help to prevent or reduce muscle soreness and the chance of injury.

Warming up becomes even more of a necessity because your tissues become less supple and your joints retain less fluid. By activating the fluids in your joints, you reduce wear and (ear caused by friction and increase your range of motion. It takes about four to five minutes to warm up your body, depending on how tight your muscles and joints feel on a par­ticular day. It also may take longer to loosen up on cooler days. Bear in mind that experimentation and experience with the workout will result in increased body awareness. Vary the warm-up from time to lime to find what works best for you. For instance, background music may be energizing on some days, while on others, Zen-like silence may be more conducive to increased concentration and body awareness.

Always begin your warm-up gradually and be aware that your cold muscles arc less elastic. More focused stretching is best done after your exercise session, when your muscles are warm and pliable with the increased blood flow. In the warm- up that follows, you will begin with gentle stretching of your head and neck and progress down your body, energizing each major muscle group. Then, with your chassis purring, you'll be revved up and ready to roll—so to speak.