Beginners in sports sometimes forget about such an important part of the lesson as a warm-up. But this is not just someone's whim or ritual, but an important component of training. Without a high-quality warm-up, you will not be able to achieve good results, and the likelihood of injury increases significantly.
Why do you need a warm-up?
Warming up before any physical activity is a must. It helps to warm up the muscles and prepare the body for the upcoming stress. If the warm-up is done well, the temperature can rise significantly in some areas of the body. This makes the tissue less vulnerable to sprains and injuries. During the warm-up, the heartbeat increases, blood circulation becomes better, and the pressure rises. The whole set of warm-up exercises can be roughly divided into two parts: basic and special.
Basic warm-up exercises
The main part of the warm-up should be carried out before any physical activity: gym, fitness, strength training, etc. In the gym, as a preparation for the body, it is recommended to work out on a treadmill. This is one of the best options to get your whole body to work and stretch. When running, the maximum number of muscles will be involved, everything without exception will work, and breathing and heart training will also take place. It is recommended to start preparing the body with a brisk walk on the treadmill, gradually increasing the pace, 7-10 minutes of running is the optimal time for warm-up.
A good option for preparing the body for stress is jumping rope and walking on an elliptical trainer. But choosing an exercise bike or a stepper as helpers during warm-up is not worth it. They work only on the lower part of the body, while other muscles remain unheated.
After warming up on some kind of simulator, you need to warm up the joints. These can be rotational exercises. It is recommended to start them from the neck. A few head movements in different directions will be enough. Then you can move on to the shoulders. They need to be lifted up and down several times, and then taken 5 times back and the same amount forward. Next, you need to stretch your chest, elbows, hands, waist, knee joints, ankles. All this is done with smooth rotational movements, without jerking, so as not to get injured.
Exercises for a special warm-up
These exercises are optional, but desirable, especially if strength training is planned with the study of a specific muscle group. When performing the second part of the warm-up, all movements must be done quickly and vigorously so that the body warms up as much as possible. Rotational movements and arm swings, pull-ups, push-ups from the floor or from a support, stretching the legs are the main exercises for this part of the warm-up. Particular attention should be paid to those muscles that will strain during training.
By the way, experienced athletes are advised not to neglect a high-quality warm-up before physical activity. In their opinion, it is better to warm up properly without training than to start without a warm-up.
