Warm Up Exercises and Stretchesee Learn how to warm up properly and reduce the risk of sports injury with these warm up exercises and stretches. The warm up exercises are a crucial part of any sports or fitness training program. The importance of a structured warm up routine should not be under estimated when it comes to the prevention of sports injury. An effective warm up has a number of very important key elements. These elements, or parts, should all be working together to minimize the likelihood of sports injury from physical activity. A Short Video Before we get into the nuts-and-bolts of why and how to perform the warm up exercises and stretches; take a look at the short video below for an overall review of the warm up and stretching. This short video exert is taken from The Stretching DVD. Why Warm Up? Warming up prior to any physical activity does a number of beneficial things, but primarily its main purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body's core temperature, while also increasing the body's muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you're helping to make the muscles loose, supple and pliable. An effective warm up also has the effect of increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons and joints for more strenuous activity. Keeping in mind the aims or goals of an effective warm up, we can then go on to look at how the warm up should be structured. How to Structure Your Warm Up? Obviously, it's important to start with the easiest and most gentle activity first, building upon each part with more energetic activities, until the body is at a physical and mental peak. This is the state in which the body is most prepared for the physical activity to come, and where the likelihood of
sports injury has been minimized as much as possible. So, how should you structure your warm up to achieve these goals? There are four key elements, or parts, which should be included to ensure an effective and complete warm up. They are: 1. 2. 3. 4.
The general warm up; Static stretching; The sports specific warm up; and Dynamic stretching.
All four parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. All four elements work together to bring the body and mind to a physical peak, ensuring the athlete is prepared for the activity to come. This process will help ensure the athlete has a minimal risk of sports injury. Before we take a closer look at each element individually, consider this misconception. The Greatest Misconception Confusion about what stretching accomplishes, as part of the warm up, is causing many to abandon stretching altogether. The key to understanding the role stretching plays can be found in the previous sentence. But, you have to read it carefully. Stretching, as part of the warm up! Here's the key: Stretching is a critical part of the warm up, but stretching is NOT the warm up. Don't make the mistake of thinking that doing a few stretches constitutes a warm up. An effective warm up has a number of very important key elements, which work together to minimize the likelihood of sports injury and prepare the individual for physical activity. The Four Key Elements of the Warm Pp Identifying the components of an effective and safe warm up, and executing them in the correct order is critical. Remember, stretching is only one part of an effective warm up and its' place in the warm up routine is specific and dependant on the other components.
The four key elements that should be included to ensure an effective and complete warm up are: 1.) General warm up The general warm up should consist of a light physical activity, like walking, jogging, easy swimming, stationary bike, skipping or easy aerobics. Both the intensity and duration of the general warm up (or how hard and how long), should be governed by the fitness level of the participating athlete. Although a correct general warm up for the average person should take about five to ten minutes and result in a light sweat. The aim of the general warm up is simply to elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate. This in turn increases the blood flow and helps with the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. This also helps to increase the muscle temperature, allowing for a more effective static stretch. Which bring us to part two. 2.) Static stretching Yes, Static stretching! This is a very safe and effective form of basic stretching. There is a limited threat of injury and it is extremely beneficial for overall flexibility. During this part of the warm up, static stretching should include all the major muscle groups, and this entire part should last for about five to ten minutes. Static stretching is performed by placing the body into a position whereby the muscle or group of muscles to be stretched is under tension. Both the opposing muscle group (the muscles behind or in front of the stretched muscle), and the muscles to be stretched are relaxed. Then slowly and cautiously the body is moved to increase the tension of the muscle, or group of muscles to be stretched. At this point the position is held or maintained to allow the muscles and tendons to lengthen. There's quite a bit of controversy about whether static stretching should be included in the warm up, and recent studies have shown that static stretching may have an adverse effect on muscle contraction speed and therefore impair performance of athletes involved in sports requiring high levels of power and speed. It is for this reason that static stretching is conducted early in the warm-up procedure and is always followed by sports specific drills and dynamic stretching. The next part of an effective warm up is extremely important, as it helps to lengthen both the muscles and tendons, which in turn allows your limbs a
greater range of movement. This is very important in the prevention of muscle and tendon injuries. The above two elements form the basis, or foundation for a complete and effective warm up. It is extremely important that these two elements be completed properly before moving onto the next two elements. The proper completion of elements one and two, will now allow for the more specific and vigorous activities necessary for elements three and four. 3.) Sport specific warm up With the first two parts of the warm up carried out thoroughly and correctly, it is now safe to move onto the third part of an effective warm up. In this part, the athlete is specifically preparing their body for the demands of their particular sport. During this part of the warm up, more vigorous activity should be employed. Activities should reflect the type of movements and actions which will be required during the sporting event. 4.) Dynamic stretching Finally, a correct warm up should finish with a series of dynamic stretches. However, this form of stretching carries with it a high risk of injury if used incorrectly. It should really only be used under the supervision of a professional sports coach or trainer. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and is really only suited for professional, well trained, highly conditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level of general flexibility has been established. Dynamic stretching involves a controlled, soft bounce or swinging motion to force a particular body part past its usual range of movement. The force of the bounce or swing is gradually increased but should never become radical or uncontrolled. Please note; dynamic stretching carries with it an increased risk of injury if used incorrectly. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and is really only suited for highly trained and well conditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level of general flexibility has been established. During this last part of an effective warm up it is also important to keep the dynamic stretches specific to the athlete's particular sport. This is the final part of the warm up and should result in the athlete reaching a
physical and mental peak. At this point the athlete is most prepared for the rigors of their sport or activity.
Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athletic performance and getting rid of those annoying sports injuries. Don't make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won't be effective. And to help you improve your flexibility quickly and safely, you can't go past The Stretching Handbook & DVD. Together they include over 130 clear photographs and 40 videos of every possible stretching exercise, for every major muscle group in your body. The Stretching Handbook & DVD will show you, step-by-step, how to perform each stretch EXACTLY! Plus, you'll learn the benefits of flexibility; the 7 critical rules for safe stretching; and how to stretch properly. Discover more about The Stretching Handbook & DVD here. How long to Warm Up? The above information forms the basis of a complete and effective warm up. However, I am well aware that this entire process is somewhat of an 'ideal' or 'perfect' warm up. I am also well aware that this is not always possible or convenient in the real world. Therefore, the individual athlete must become responsible for assessing their own goals and adjusting their warm up accordingly. For instance, the time you commit to your warm up should be relative to your level of involvement in your particular sport. So, for people just looking to increase their general level of health and fitness, a minimum of five to ten minutes would be enough. However, if you are involved in high level competitive sport you need to dedicate adequate time and effort to a complete warm up.
Warming Up Stretching is not warming up! It is, however, a very important part of warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of "warming up" (i.e., raising your core body temperature). A proper warm-up should raise your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and is divided into three phases: 1. general warm-up 2. stretching 3. sport-specific activity It is very important that you perform the general warm-up before you stretch. It is not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm (something which the general warm-up accomplishes). Warming up can do more than just loosen stiff muscles; when done properly, it can actually improve performance. On the other hand, an improper warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk of injury from engaging in athletic activities. It is important to note that active stretches and isometric stretches should not be part of your warm-up because they are often counterproductive. The goals of the warm-up are (according to Kurz): "an increased awareness, improved coordination, improved elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems." Active stretches and isometric stretches do not help achieve these goals because they are likely to cause the stretched muscles to be too tired to properly perform the athletic activity for which you are preparing your body.
General Warm-Up The general warm-up is divided into two parts: 1. joint rotations 2. aerobic activity These two activities should be performed in the order specified above.
Joint Rotations The general warm-up should begin with joint-rotations, starting either from your toes and working your way up, or from your fingers and working your way down. This facilitates joint motion by lubricating the entire joint with synovial fluid. Such lubrication permits your joints to function more easily when called upon to participate in your athletic activity. You should perform slow circular movements, both clockwise and counter-clockwise, until the joint seems to move smoothly. You should rotate the following (in the order given, or in the reverse order):
1. fingers and knuckles 2. wrists 3. elbows 4. shoulders 5. neck 6. trunk/waist 7. hips 8. legs 9. knees 10. ankles 11. toes
Aerobic Activity After you have performed the joint rotations, you should engage in at least five minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging, jumping rope, or any other activity that will cause a similar increase in your cardiovascular output (i.e., get your blood pumping). The purpose of this is to raise your core body temperature and get your blood flowing. Increased blood flow in the muscles improves muscle performance and flexibility and reduces the likelihood of injury.
Warm-Up Stretching The stretching phase of your warmup should consist of two parts: 1. static stretching 2. dynamic stretching It is important that static stretches be performed before any dynamic stretches in your warm-up. Dynamic stretching can often result in overstretching, which dam ages the muscles (see section Overstretching). Performing static stretches first will help reduce this risk of injury.
Static Warm-Up Stretching Once the general warm-up has been completed, the muscles are warmer and more elastic. Immediately following your general warm-up, you should engage in some slow, relaxed, static stretching (see section Static Stretching). You should start with your back, followed by your upper body and lower body, stretching your muscles in the following order (see section Exercise Order): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
back sides (external obliques) neck forearms and wrists triceps chest buttocks groin (adductors)
9. thighs (quadriceps and abductors) 10. calves 11. shins 12. hamstrings 13. instep Some good static stretches for these various muscles may be found in most books about stretching. See section References on Stretching. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to stretch all these muscles before a workout. If you are one such person, you should at least take the time to stretch all the muscles that will be heavily used during your workout.
Dynamic Warm-Up Stretching Once you have performed your static stretches, you should engage in some light dynamic stretching: leg-raises, and arm-swings in all directions (see section Dynamic Stretching). According to Kurz, you should do "as many sets as it takes to reach your maximum range of motion in any given direction", but do not work your muscles to the point of fatigue. Remember -- this is just a warm-up, the real workout comes later. Some people are surprised to find that dynamic stretching has a place in the warm-up. But think about it: you are "warming up" for a workout that is (usually) going to involve a lot of dynamic activity. It makes sense that you should perform some dynamic exercises to increase your dynamic flexibility.
Sport-Specific Activity The last part of your warm-up should be devoted to performing movements that are a "watered-down" version of the movements that you will be performing during your athletic activity. HFLTA says that the last phase of a warm-up should consist of the same movements that will be used during the athletic event but at a reduced intensity. Such sport-specific activity is beneficial because it improves coordination, balance, strength, and response time, and may reduce the risk of injury.
Exercise Order -SPONSOR RESULTSGlucosamine & Condroitin Runners Supplements Running Shoes Running Gear Many people are unaware of the fact that the order in which you perform your stretching exercises is important. Quite often, when we perform a particular stretch, it actually stretches more than one group of muscles: the muscles that the stretch is primarily intended for, and other supporting muscles that are also stretched but which do not receive the "brunt" of the stretch. These supporting muscles usually function as synergists for the muscles being stretched (see section Cooperating Muscle Groups). This is the basis behind a principle that SynerStretch calls the interdependency of muscle groups. Before performing a stretch intended for a particular muscle, but which actually stretches several muscles, you should first stretch each of that muscle's synergists. The benefit of this is that you are able to better stretch the primary muscles by not allowing the supporting muscles the opportunity to be a limiting factor in how "good" a stretch you can attain for a particular exercise. Ideally, it is best to perform a stretch that isolates a particular muscle group, but this is not always possible. According to SynerStretch: "by organizing the exercises within a stretching routine according to the principle of interdependency of muscle groups, you minimize the effort required to perform the routine, and maximize the effectiveness of the individual exercises." This is what Health For Life (in all of their publications) calls synergism: "combining elements to create a whole that is greater than the mere sum of its parts." For example, a stretch intended primarily for the hamstrings may also make some demands upon the calves and buttocks (and even the lower back) but mostly, it stretches the hamstrings. In this case, it would be beneficial to stretch the lower back, buttocks, and calves first (in that order, using stretches intended primarily for those muscles) before they need to be used in a stretch that is intended primarily for the hamstrings. As a general rule, you should usually do the following when putting together a stretching routine: • • • • • •
stretch your back (upper and lower) first stretch your sides after stretching your back stretch your buttocks before stretching your groin or your hamstrings stretch your calves before stretching your hamstrings stretch your shins before stretching your quadriceps (if you do shin stretches) stretch your arms before stretching your chest
Warm Up and Cool Down There is no doubt that time spent on warming up and cooling down will improve an athlete's level of performance and accelerate the recovery process needed before and after training or competition. As a result, the coach must encourage the athlete to regard the warm up and cool down as an essential part of both the training session and competition itself.
Warm Up Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness. Warming up should at least consist of the following: • • •
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5 to 10 minutes jogging - to increase body temperature 10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises - reduce muscle stiffness 10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills - preparation for the session or competition. e.g. for a runner o Lower leg drills o Leg drills o Technique drills 4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres - focus on correct running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive)
Dynamic stretches are more appropriate to the warm up as they help reduce muscle stiffness. Static stretching exercises do not reduce muscle stiffness. For further information see the following articles: • • •
How does static stretching affect an athletes performance Dynamic versus passive stretches Static vs. Dynamic Flexibility
What are the benefits of a warm up? Performance may be improved, as an appropriate warm up will result in an: • • • • •
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Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles Dynamic exercises reduce muscle stiffness Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance within warmed muscles Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because haemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate, increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures Allows the heart rate get to a workable rate for beginning exercise
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Mentally focused on the training or competition
Cool Down Cooling down should consist of the following: • •
5 to 10 minutes jogging/walking - decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles 5 to 10 minutes static stretching exercises
Static stretches are more appropriate to the cool down as they help muscles to relax, realign muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement. These stretches should be held for approximately 10 seconds.
What are the benefits of a cool down? An appropriate cool down will: • • • • •
aid in the dissipation of waste products - including lactic acid reduce the potential for DOMS reduce the chances of dizziness or fainting caused by the pooling of venous blood at the extremities reduce the level of adrenaline in the blood allows the heart rate to return to its resting rate
Related Research Papers • • •
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Medicine & Science in Sport and Exercise 33(3), pp354-358 (Dynamic v Passive stretching) Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 15 (1): 98-101 (Dynamic v Passive stretching) Burkett LN, Phillips WT, ZiuratisJ. The best warm-up for the vertical jump in college-age athletic men'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2005; 19:673-676 Fletcher IM, Jones B. 'The effect of different warm-up stretch protocols on 20m sprint performance in trained rugby union players'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2004; 18: 885-888 Little T, Williams A.'Effects of differential stretching protocols during warmups on high speed motor capacities in professional soccer players'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2006;20(1)203-207. Atler MJ. 'Science of Flexibility'. Human Kinetics 2004 McMillian DJ, Moore, et al. 'Dynamic vs. Static stretching warm-up: the effect on power and agility performance'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2006; 20 (3):492-499 Stewart D, Macalus A and De Vito G. The effect of an active warm-up on surface EMG and muscle performance in healthy humans'. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2003; 89:509-513 Winchester JB, Nelson AG et al. 'Static stretching impairs sprint performance in collegiate track and field athletes'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2008; 22(1): 13-18
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Young WB, Behm DG. 'Effects of running, static stretching and practice jumps on explosive force production and jumping performance'. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 2003; 43: 21-27 Yamaguchi T, Ishi, K et al. 'Acute effects of dynamic stretching exercise on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2007; 21(4): 12381244 Yamaguchi T, Ishi K. 'Effects of static stretching for 30 seconds and dynamic stretching on leg extension power'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2005 ,19(3): 677-683. Lange