The importance of warming up
Before working out is important to prepare your body for the increased workload. Warming up has many benefits check some of the out below;
How to warm-up
Warming up is not the same as stretching, which should be avoided when muscles are cold.
Warm ups come in many varieties for Pilates we usually start standing and work on mobilisation and warming up of all the muscle groups by using small and medium ranges of movement at these joints, we also use squats, lunges and press ups to get that heart rate going and your body prepared for exercise.
If you are going cycling you could just start with a steady 10 / 20 minutes before you pick up the pace and the same with running start with a brisk walk or jog to get your body firing.
The length of your warm-up will depend on how intensely you plan to exercise. Generally, the more intensely you plan to exercise the longer you will want to warm up. For most people, between 5 and 30 minutes is sufficient.
Get your heart ready for the extra workload
Warming up is a way of preparing your body for exercise. Low-intensity warm ups gradually increase heart rate and circulation so you are better prepared to handle higher intensity exercise.
Improve your flexibility
As your body temperature increases you’ll increase the synovial fluid in the joints and improve blood flow to your muscles. That means less stress on joints and tendons. Warm, well-lubricated joints are prepared for movement whether this is gentle or explosive a properly warmed muscle is more effective than a cold one. Warming up reduces your chance of injury.
That added boost
Warming up isn’t just about muscles, warming up gives you time to let go of whatever you were doing with your day and focus on your exercise plan ahead, whether that is a Pilates class or a bike ride. It gives you time to mentally prepare and feel in the zone for your exercise session. Know that investing warm up time will help you perform with more flexibility, speed, and strength.
Doing so will reduce the likelihood of injury, improve performance and make exercise more fun. Giving your body time to adjust to an increased workload will make you a better athlete. Check out this dynamic warm up I created, try adding this to the start of your Pilates workouts, runs or rides.
