The idea behind warm up is to gradually increase intensity to allow three main adaptations to take place
- Some fuel to be burned in the muscles to allow body temperature increase therefore softening the muscle, ligaments and tendons therefore reducing soreness, stiffness and injury and making exercise much more comfortable.
- To allow necessary time for the joint membranes to begin making and releasing fluid into the joints to protect the joints. This ‘synovial fluid’ lubricates, cushions and feeds the joints with nutrients and takes away wastes.
- To allow time for nerves to fire/ function properly. Nerves work much better when warm. This allows better nerve control over the muscles and joints as you exercise and reduces risk of injury and increases comfort of exercise.
Warm up is crucial as is cool down.
I recommend clients build up their exercise intensity gradually up over 6-8 minutes and rather than having the first 3 minutes fixed at a set intensity, I would start a typical client as follows in a graduated way. In the gym, an example of a treadmill warm up:
Min 1: 4 Kph (Slow walk)
Min 2: 4.5 Kph
Min 3: 5 Kph (Moderate walk)
Min 4: 5.5 Kph
Min 5: 6 Kph (Brisk walk short leg person)
Min 6: 6.5 Kph (Brisk walk med leg person)
Min 7: 7 Kph (Brisk walk for a long legged person)
This is an ideal warm up for a walker or jogger and would be of great benefit to be able to incorporate this into a walking or jogging program. In addition I recommend all clients use a general warm up before all their sessions.
Cool down at end of session for about 3 minutes would be ideal and again a graduated fashion would be excellent and should be based on a 30% reduction of the clients finishing speed say client has been jogging at 9k then cool down would automatically reduce to 6k then 3k then perhaps 2 k and stop after 3 mins.
Whatever exercise you intend to do, please allow time for a proper warm up!
We looked at walking / jogging warm up above which is a great general warm up for any activity but what about other activities?
Boxing / punch bag work
Start with a general warm up then approach the bag with light work and build up the intensity over the first 5 minutes and then you should be better prepared for hard workout on the punch bag.
Weights and resistance work
Start with a general warm up then start with half weight and build up the weight to your normal effort over 2 or 3 sets or 5-6 minutes. Never start a weights session with full workout weight.
Core / abdominal work.
Never start a core training session without very good warm up. The lower back is at great risk when doing sit-ups, planks and other forms of core training. A general warm up is needed initially followed by easy sit-ups (if you normally do sit ups) and use the easy version of all core exercises and then move to the full intensity version.
NEVER EVER GO STRAIGHT TO WORKOUT INTENSITY WITHOUT PROPER WARM UP.
As you see, warm up is of great benefit in the long and short term and is far too often neglected. Warm up makes exercise easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Cool down is vital because following exercise session blood vessels are dilated (opened up) and a sudden stop allows blood to rush to the feet, reducing blood pressure way too fast which can lead to nausea, headache, fainting and blood pooling in legs and damage to varicose veins as well as pain and swelling in the legs.
Hope this helps your understanding of warm up and cool down.
Brendan Murphy
Phone: 087-7874050
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
WEB: www.personaltraining.ie
