| Brad Walker, an interntionally recognized stretching and | | | | most gentle activity first, building upon each part with |
| sports injury consultant, reveals why warm up activities | | | | more energetic activities, until the body is at a physical |
| are a crucial part of any exercise program or sports | | | | and mental peak. This is the state in which the body is |
| training program. Brad reveals why an effective warm | | | | most prepared for the physical activity to come, and |
| up program can keep your body in top condition and | | | | where the likelihood of sports injury has been |
| help prevent serious injury. | | | | minimized as much as possible. So, how should you |
| The warm up activities are a crucial part of any | | | | structure your warm up to achieve these goals? |
| exercise regime or sports training. The importance of a | | | | There are four key elements, or parts, which should be |
| structured warm up routine should not be under | | | | included to ensure an effective and complete warm |
| estimated when it comes to the prevention of sports | | | | up. They are: |
| injury. A solid warm up routine will go a long way in | | | | - The general warm up; |
| keeping your body in top condition and will help you | | | | - Static stretching; |
| avoid serious injury further down the road. | | | | - The sports specific warm up; and |
| Warm up activities include a number of very important | | | | - Dynamic stretching. |
| key elements. These elements, or parts, should all be | | | | All four parts are equally important and any one part |
| working together to minimize the likelihood of sports | | | | should not be neglected or thought of as not |
| injury from physical activity. | | | | necessary. All four elements work together to bring |
| Warming up prior to any physical activity does a | | | | the body and mind to a physical peak, ensuring the |
| number of beneficial things, but primarily its main | | | | athlete is prepared for the activity to come. This |
| purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more | | | | process will help ensure the athlete has a minimal risk |
| strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is | | | | of sports injury. |
| by helping to increase the body's core temperature, | | | | Of course this is a very simplistic view of proper |
| while also increasing the body's muscle temperature. | | | | warm up activities. Each element has specific |
| By increasing muscle temperature you're helping to | | | | requirements of its own. Only by combining these |
| make the muscles loose, supple and pliable. | | | | elements in the right way will you achieve the |
| Effective warm up activities also have the effect of | | | | maximum results for your efforts. In part two, we'll |
| increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory | | | | take a closer look at the proper procedure for |
| rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases | | | | warming up and each of the individual steps in detail. |
| the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working | | | | If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to forward it |
| muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons | | | | to others, make it available from your site or post it on |
| and joints for more strenuous activity. | | | | blogs and forums for others to read. All we ask is that |
| Keeping in mind the aims or goals of effective warm | | | | this paragraph and URL are included. For more |
| up activities, we can then go on to look at the | | | | information and articles on stretching, flexibility and |
| structure of the warm up itself. | | | | sports injury management, visit The Stretching Institute. |
| Obviously, it's important to start with the easiest and | | | | |