Download Importance of Warmup

Importance of Warm-up
Warm-ups and cool-downs are the most frequently ignored part among recreational sports and
activities. Non-contact injuries are commonly reported among recreational sports participants.
Skipping warm-up and incorrect warm-up protocol might be one of the major causes of injuries.
Thorough warm-ups can increase muscle blood flow, increase sensitivity of nerve receptors and
speed of nerve impulse transmission, increase disassociation of oxygen from hemoglobin to
myoglobin and reduce joints stiffness. All these physiological response can effectively prepare
the body for intensive exercise, thus preventing injuries and enhancing performance. Every
training or sport activity must begin with a warm-up. The goal of the first part of the warm-up is
to increase total body temperature and muscles temperature. It is suggested to start with slow
and easy generic cardiovascular exercise such as 5 -10 minutes of walking, jogging or biking
until breaking a sweat. The second part of the warm-up is to get ready for specific movement of
particular sports or activities. It usually consists of 5 – 10 minutes of dynamic stretching, and 5 –
10 minutes of low-intensity specific activities. It is worth noting that static stretching only is
NOT a correct warm-up protocol, as it does not elicit the mentioned stimulation. Static stretching
should be implemented during warm-up protocol only on overactive muscle groups, prior to
dynamic stretching.
Suggested generic warm-up protocol:
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5 – 10 min slow jogging
[Optional] 5 min static stretching on overactive muscle groups
5 – 10 min dynamic warm-up
Suggested warm-up protocol for strength training:
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5 – 10 min slow jogging
[Optional] 5 min static stretching on overactive muscle groups
5 – 10 min dynamic warm-up
1 – 2 sets of low-intensity specific lifting exercise
Suggested warm-up protocol for soccer:
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5 – 10 min slow jogging
[Optional] 5 min static stretching on overactive muscle groups
5 – 10 min dynamic warm-up
5 – 10 min specific activities: dribble, pass, shoot, etc
*Duration and intensity of warm-up might increase with fitness level
*Pay attention to physiological response during warm-up as it is a
good indicator of “form”