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8 Secrets to Warming Up for Athletic Performance Most athletes perform some type of regular warm-up and cool
down during training and racing. A proper warm up can increase the
blood flow to the working muscle which results in decreased muscle
stiffness, less risk of
injury and improved performance. Additional benefits of warming up include physiological and psychological preparation. Benefits of a Proper Warm Up:
1. Increased Muscle Temperature - The temperature increases
within muscles that are used during a warm-up routine. A warmed muscle
both contracts more forcefully and relaxes more quickly. In this way
both speed and strength can be enhanced. Also, the probability of
overstretching a muscle and causing injury is far less.
3. Blood Vessels Dilate - This reduces the resistance to
blood flow and lower stress on the heart.
4. Improve Efficient Cooling - By activating the heat-dissipation mechanisms in the body (efficient sweating) an athlete can cool efficiently and help prevent overheating early in the event or race. Continued below...
continued from above...
5. Increased Blood Temperature - The temperature of blood increases as it travels through the muscles, and as blood temperature rises, the amount of oxygen it can hold becomes reduced. This means a slightly greater volume of oxygen is made available to the working muscles, enhancing endurance and performance. 6. Improved Range of Motion - The range of motion around a
joint is increased.
7. Hormonal Changes - Your body increases its production of
various hormones responsible for regulating energy production. During
warm-up this balance of hormones makes more carbohydrates and fatty
acids available for energy production.
8. Mental Preparation - The warm-up is also a good time to
mentally prepare for an event by clearing the mind, increasing focus,
reviewing skills and strategy. Positive imagery can also relax the
athlete and build concentration.
Typical Warm up exercises include: Gradually increasing the intensity of your specific sport.
This uses the specific skills of a sport and is sometimes called a
related warm-up. For runners, the idea is to jog a while and add a few
sprints into the routine to engage all the muscle fibers.
Adding movements not related to your sport in a slow steady
manner: calisthenics or flexibility exercises for example. Ball players
often use unrelated exercise for their warm up.
Which to choose? The best time to stretch a muscle is after
it has an increased blood flow and has increased temperature to avoid
injury. Stretching a cold muscle can increase the risk of injury from
pulls and tears. So you are better off doing gradual aerobic exercise
before stretching. Keep in mind that the best time to stretch is
after exercise because your muscles are warm and pliable with the
increase of blood in them. Make sure your warm up begins gradually, and
uses the muscles that will be stressed during exercise.
Keep in mind that the perfect warm up is a very individual
process that can only come with practice, experimentation and
experience. Try warming up in various way, at various intensities until
you find what works best for you.
Quinn, sportsmedicine.about.com
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