Stretching & Messages from Martin 07 Aug 2007 09:52 pm
August 7, 2007 (Posting #96) - Why warm-up?
Why is it important to warm-up prior to exercising? THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE FIRST TEN PEOPLE TO POST A COMMENT WITH THE CORRECT ANSWER!!
a. because Martin said to
b. it’s not important. this is a trick question.
c. it enables you to DO SOMETHIN’!
Warming-up is a critical part of any exercise routine. By doing so, you prime your muscles for maximal performance and minimize the chance of injury. First, I’ll explain why warming up is critical to in laymen’s terms; and then I’ll give you the scientific explanation with details of what is occuring inside your body during your warm-up.
When you warm-up, the temperature in your muscles and connective tissues increases thus reducing the risk of injury related to stiffness or tightness of the muscle or tissue. Also, your cardiovascular system directs blood flow to the areas you are warming-up. This increased blood flow supplies oxygen to the muscles where it will be needed for energy production during exercise.
Below, you’ll find the physiological and psychological rationalte for warming-up:
The warm-up . . .
1) Permits a gradual metabolic adaptation (e.g., oxygen consumption), which enhances cardiorespiratory performance (e.g., a higher maximum cardiac output and oxygen uptake)
2) Prevents the premature onset of blood lactic acid accumulation and fatigue during higher level aerobic exercise
3) Causes a gradual increase in the muscle temperature, which decreases the work of contraction and reduces the likelihood of muscle injury
4) Facilitates neural transmission for motor unit recruitment
5) Improves coronary blood flow in early stages of the conditioning exercise, lessening the potential for myocardial ischemia (Myocardial ischemia is a condition in which oxygen deprivation to the heart muscle is accompanied by inadequate removal of metabolites because of reduced blood flow or perfusion. definiton taken from eMedicine from WebMD, emedicine.com)
6) Allows a gradual redistribution of blood flow to active muscles
7) Increases the elasticity of connective tissue and other muscle components
8 ) Provides a screening mechanism for potential musculoskeletal or metabolic problems that may increase at higher intensities
9) Provides a psychological warm-up to higher levels of work (i.e., increases arousal and focus on exercise)
Now, you have the facts. Make sure to hit that warm-up before you DO SOMETHIN’!
**information source: ACE Personal Trainer Manual 3rd edition, edited by Cedric X. Bryant, Ph. D and Daniel J. Green, page 215.