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