There’s no debating that the key to a healthy lifestyle is working out 4-5 times a week — whether it is going for a brisk walk, a run or even to the gym. However, there is one thing that is as important as the workout itself and is often overlooked, compromised on or worse completely skipped – the warm up!
A warm-up is a primary element in any workout session. It includes a set of low intensity movements and exercises one must do before jumping into the main workout routine. Ideally it’ll leave you with a light sweat and prep you for the main workout. A good warm-up helps to warm up your muscles which in turn lessens the chances of an injury during the actual workout. Not all warm-ups are created equal. There are different types of warm-ups – active and passive. Let’s focus on understanding Active Warm-ups, which is further divided into two types
There’s no debating that the key to a healthy lifestyle is working out 4-5 times a week — whether it is going for a brisk walk, a run or even to the gym. However, there is one thing that is as important as the workout itself and is often overlooked, compromised on or worse completely skipped – the warm up!
Reduce your risk of injury: This is a highly overlooked reason for warmups. Not only does a warm-up activity prepare your muscles for what is about to come but it also significantly reduces the risk of injury, pulls, cramps, etc. Any exercise that essentially results in the warming up of the body would improve the elasticity of the muscles. Additionally, it will also result in efficient cooling which reduces the chances of hurting yourself or even overheating the muscles during the workout. Avoid any injuries by warming up well before going to the gym or engaging in any form of exercise.
Well, it’s not so much about breaking a sweat as it is about prepping your body for what’s coming next – your workout. A good warm-up routine prepares the body physically and mentally for the upcoming workout. It helps in improving the muscle dynamics so that you are less prone to injury and prepares you for the upcoming workout routine. A warm-up leads to
Now that you have understood the importance of a warm-up, here are the Key Components of a good warm-up routine
Every warm-up is different as there are various ways, various intensities for every body type. A greater level of intensity in the warm-up will cause a greater increase in muscle temperature. Ideally, a warm-up should be kept between 3 to 10 minutes depending on the duration and kind of exercise which is to be done. Studies show that an intensity above 60% of a person’s maximal oxygen uptake (V-O2 Max) is seen to reduce the concentration of available energy phosphates. Hence it is recommended that the intensity should be kept between 40-60% of a person’s V-O2 Max. If appropriate instruments are not available to measure the V-O2, it can be identified when you see light to mild sweating, without fatigue under normal circumstances. But dont stress, the perfect warm-up will come with practice, experimentation and experience.
Now that the importance of warm-up exercise has been determined, the next step would be to list down certain workouts that can be constituted as good and efficient warm-ups. 5-10 minutes of these exercises before you begin your full-fledged routine of strenuous workouts would be vital for the appropriate heating of the muscles and core temperature of the body. Ensure that your list contains exercises that will work on and heat the different muscle groups in the body. No static stretches should be included in these exercises as they are often a part of the cool-down process. Here are some exercises that you could conduct as a part of your warm-ups:
Ideally a warm-up should be tailored to meet the individual’s demands. It needs to increase your muscle temperature but at the same time should not have a significant decrease in high-energy phosphate availability. The key components in a warm-up for people of different levels would be the same. However, the intensity should ideally vary between someone who is just starting their fitness journey as compared to someone active and regular with workout regimes.
An effective warm-up routine should not be intense or grueling. It should adequately warm up all your muscles and you should ideally break into a light sweat. This is because a light sweat indicates that the body’s cooling system has been activated which subsequently ensures that the working tissues are warm and prepared for the workout. The focus should be on preparing your central nervous system, primary movers and pushing your core temperature.
While we understand that work and other commitments can leave you running short on time, tempting you to skip the warm-up, these few minutes of the warm-up will make your workout more effective. By warming up your muscles, you are priming them to do their job more efficiently and it also lowers the risk of getting injured while performing the main exercise. So the next time you decide to skip the warm-up, think again as these 5-10 minutes are worth the effort.
Yes, since yoga is also a form of exercise, it is important to warm up before beginning yoga as the muscles might be cold and stiff. This could lead to an injury.
Yes, walking can be considered a good form of warm-up, especially in the beginning. Slowly, you can push to jogging, butt kicks, high knees, arm rotations while walking, etc.
People with diabetes can actually engage in any kind of exercise they want as long as they keep their blood sugar level in check. However, a few helpful forms of exercise would be – walking, cycling, swimming, aerobics, yoga, jogging, occasional strength training, etc.
Experts have suggested several Yoga for people with diabetes that are meant to be helpful and create a positive impact on the oxygenation of the body, relief of stress, and stimulation of the pancreas. Some of these asanas are – the child pose, bow pose, corpse pose, mountain pose, etc.
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