Do You Warm Up Before You Exercise?
You are not alone if you don’t. Sometimes we’re just trying to get it done. Maybe it’s before work, during the lunch hour, amid the hustle-and-bustle of family life, or at the end of an already busy day. Whatever the case, it can be tempting to skip the warm-up and just get our exercise done. Still, there are some very good reasons why we should warm up.
Benefits of Warming Up
Benefits of Warming Up | Details |
Increased Body Temperature and Enhanced Blood Flow | Warming up helps in gradual elevation of body temperature and boosts blood flow to muscles, facilitating the opening of blood vessels and ensuring a better supply of oxygen and nutrients required for optimal performance.1 |
Improved Joint Lubrication and Muscle Elasticity | Engaging in a warm-up promotes the flow of synovial fluid around joints, enhancing lubrication and freedom of movement. It further improves the elasticity of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, aiding in safe improvement of range of motion.1,2 |
Enhanced Motor Control and Spatial Awareness | Initiating your exercise with a warm-up speeds up signal transmission through nerves, fostering better motor control, balance, and coordination. It also heightens the perception of your body’s positioning in space.1,2 |
Gradual Increase in Heart Rate and Breathing | Starting with a warm-up allows a gentle increase in heart rate and breathing pattern, reducing undue stress on the heart and preparing the body for a fruitful workout session.3,4 |
All of these factors can help prepare your body to perform both safely and optimally. So, the next time you think about skipping that warm-up – consider the benefits of peak performance and injury prevention and take a few minutes to warm up. Your body will thank you.
- Shellock F.G., Prentice W.E. (1985). Warming-up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports-related injuries. Sports Medicine. 2(4):267-278. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198502040-00004
- Kozai, A, Surgenor, B. (2017). The importance of a good warm-up: Are you warm enough to start dancing. International Association for Dance Medicine & Science. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/resource_papers/warm-up-importance.pdf; https://www.iadms.org/blogpost/1177934/272128/Are-You-Warm-Enough-to-Start-Dancing
- Sharma, N., Shah, S.H. (2019). Physiological and Psychological Effects of Warm Up and Cool Down in Games and Sports. International Journal of Physical Education & Sports Sciences. 14(1):60-63. DOI: 10.29070/IJOPESS
- McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L. (2006). Factors affecting physiological function: The environment and special aids to physical performance. In Essentials of Exercise Physiology (3rd)(pp 512-557). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins. https://books.google.com.au/books?id=L4aZIDbmV3oC&lpg=PR1&dq=essentials%20of%20exercise%20physiology&pg=PA550#v=onepage&q&f=false
