How To Effectively Warm Up

Warm up is a session which takes place before doing physical activity. It consist of cardiovascular exercises along with stretches which are designed to increase circulation, bring the heart rate up and increase the body temperature while stretching helps to warm the muscles and make them ready for the movements that will be required to carry out during the activity. The most important reason for doing a warm up is to decrease the chance of suffering an injury during exercise. Most of the warm up sessions are held between 20 to 30 minutes which is enough to get ready for the physical activity and makes the player mentally ready.

The Best Way to Warm Up

The best way of warm up is to never start with static stretches, as they require little movement of the body. Dynamic warm ups are the best as they engage more muscles and get the heart pumping. Light aerobic exercise should be done for five to ten minutes. Warm ups should be adjusted according to the exercises a person will be doing during his workout.

Some great warm up exercises include the following:

Jogging On The Spot

Jogging on the spot is a great way to get your heart pumping and blood flowing. It engages all the muscles in your body and will help in bringing oxygen into your lungs. Always remember to breathe steadily while performing this exercise.

Hopping On The Spot

Hopping is a more intense warm up exercise than jogging. It also effectively gets your heart pumping. You may feel out of breath quickly when you first start hopping, but slowly your body will adjust to the movement and regulate your breath, so you will then be able to hop for longer periods of time before becoming out of breath.

High Kicks

High kicks are a great way to get blood flowing in the legs and also help increase your range of mobility. Try performing 20 kicks on each leg to start with. With each kick, remember to engage your muscles and stretch your leg out as much as possible.

Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are a high intensity warm up exercise that engages all muscles in the body. Remember to stretch your arms and legs out as much as possible with each jumping jack, and don’t forget to breath in and out. Start with 15 jumping jacks, and increase as you become more comfortable with the exercise.

Benefits Of Warm Up

While it may seem too tiring to warm up before each work out or training session, there are many reasons why it is necessary to do it. Below are just a few benefits of warming up.

Increased Body Temperature:

The temperature is increased within the muscles they are used during a warm up. A warmed up muscle contracts more forcefully and relaxes more quickly.

Increased Blood Temperature:

The temperature of blood is increased more quickly as it travels through the muscles. The increase in the blood temperature weakens the bind of oxygen with the hemoglobin so the oxygen is available more available to working muscles.

Improved Joint Range of Motion:

This increases the range of motion around the joint.

Hormonal Changes:

During warm up body increases its production of certain hormones which are responsible for the production of regulating energy. This balance of hormones makes more fatty acids and carbohydrates available for energy production.

Mental Preparation:

The warm up is a good time for clearing mind, reviewing skills and strategy and increasing the focus.

Which warm up exercises do you preform before a training session? Comment below!

Benefits Of Warming Up Before Exercise

It is no secret that it is important to warm up before any type of physical exercise. Even professional athletes do warm up exercises before playing any game. This is because it allows your body to prepare for more advanced and intense movement. In other words, warming up prepares your heart, lungs, and muscles for the more strenuous part of your workout. 

Warming up before proceeding towards any form of exercise, whether its working out at the gym, or playing a sport such as basketball, is beneficial to your body for many reasons. Here are some:

Less Risk Of Injuries

 A light jog or jumping jacks before you begin your exercise will allow your  muscles to warm up.  Muscles that are warmed up are able to contract more forcefully and relax quicker, which reduces the risk of injuries. This is because cold muscles have slower reflexes are not able to perform as well, and this can lead to overstretching or spraining your muscles. 

Improves Blood Flow

As you perform warm up stretches, blood flow will increase to your muscles and increase your heart rate. As blood flow increases, the temperature of blood will also rise. This is beneficial as when the temperature of blood rises, the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin weakens so oxygen is more readily available to working muscles, which will improve endurance and help you keep up your performance for a sustained period of time. At the same time, the blood vessels will dilate, thus putting less stress on the heart.

Larger Range Of Motion

As your overall body temperature increases, muscle elasticity will also improve. This means that your body parts such as shoulders, knees, and spine will be able to move to their maximum potential. Cold muscles have a much smaller range of motion as the body parts remain stiff without a proper warm up. So, warming up is necessary for increasing muscle elasticity, which will enhance speed and strength, help you perform better, and prevent any injuries caused from overstretching.

Regulates Body Temperature

Starting off with warm up exercises sends signals to your body so that it knows that there will be more intense activity required. This activates a heat-dissipation mechanisms in the body, which allows your body to cool efficiently and will prevent overheating early on. As a result, warming up can allow you to perform for a longer period of time, without burning out and exhausting yourself prematurely.

Releases Endorphins

Warming up allows your body to release endorphins, which is also known as the “feel-good” hormone for its ability to improve your mood. The release of endorphins will boost your mood throughout the duration of your exercise. 

Therefore, warming up is a very important part of any exercise, and should always be the first step before moving into any intense work out or sports. 

Do you warm up before every exercise? What types of warm up activities do you prefer? Comment below!

Yoga Stretches For Improved Hip Mobility

Many of us are guilty of spending hours each day seated, whether at work, school, or even relaxing in front of the TV at home. Unfortunately, this means that most people use only two leg movements; backwards and forwards, which greatly restricts hip mobility and leads to a feeling of tightness or stiffness in the hips. Thankfully, the discomfort associated with hip stiffness can be overcome with some simple yoga stretches. These stretches are easily adaptable and perfect for beginners. Not to mention they are simple enough to incorporate in your daily routine, even if its only for 5-10 minutes each day.

Warm Up

Never forget the most important step of any exercise routine; the warm up! Warming up is essential to get your blood flowing and avoid pulling any muscles, which can lead to serious pain and injuries. It only takes 5 minutes to warm up, and some simple warm up exercises are:

- Light jogging or running on the spot

- Hopping/jumping in one place or jumping jacks

- Neck, arm and leg rotations

These light exercises will help loosen your muscles and prepare your body for the hip opening exercises that will follow.

Stretches for Improved Hip Mobility:

Forward Fold

The forward fold is a great stretch to start with, as it can help stretch out your spine as well as allow your hips to bend forward, which is a necessary movement for hip stiffness. To perform the forward fold, first lift your arms up and stretch as much as you can, reaching for the ceiling. As you do this, you should feel your ribs and spine lengthening. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then bend forward and reach for your toes.

Repeat this movement as many times as you feel comfortable. Once again hold this pose for as long as you can. If you are feeling intense pain, then feel free to modify the pose by slightly bending your knees.

Butterfly Pose

The butterfly pose is a personal favorite hip opener pose, which targets the inner thighs, groin, and hip flexors. In order to perform this pose, sit down, stretch your legs and then bend your knees to bring your feet together. Hold this pose for as long as you can, and if possible, try to rest your knees on the floor. Use your hands to press your feet closer together. It is important to ensure that your spine is lengthened during this time. For an advanced pose, lift your arms up and stretch forward as far as you can while keeping the edges of your feet pressed together. Hold this pose for as long as you feel comfortable.

Butterfly Pose

Pigeon Pose

Yet another yoga pose that targets the hip flexors is pigeon pose. This stretch focuses not only on opening your hips, but also stretches the legs. To begin, bend your left knee in front of your hips (similar to butterfly pose), and slide your right leg to the back, focusing on keeping it straight and your toes pointed. Sit up straight and lengthen the spine. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then alternate the legs. For a deeper stretch, lean forward, keeping your forearms parallel and in front of the bent leg.

Low Lunge

Low lunges are great for improving hip mobility as it targets the hip flexors, quads, and groin. To enter this pose, begin in standing position and step your left leg forward, keeping your hands on either side. Try to keep your leg bent in a 90 degree position. Slide the right leg back, keeping the lower leg flat on the ground. Hold this pose for a few seconds and repeat with the other leg. For a deeper stretch, push your hips down towards the ground, focusing on keeping your spine straight.

Low Lunge

Practicing these hip opening poses on a daily basis will surely relieve any tightness or stiffness, and will eventually expand your range of motion. Remember to breathe during each pose, and do not be discouraged if you cannot stretch as deeply as you like. Keep in mind that practice makes perfect, and yoga is more fulfilling when you focus on the process, rather than the end result. With patience and dedication, you’ll gain the flexibility you desire.

What stretches do you use to relieve hip stiffness? Comment below if you have any advice, and let us know if these stretches work for you!

Good luck!