Why Should I Warm-Up Before a Workout?
You woke up early, made your way to the gym, and are ready to hit the treadmill hard before you attack the weights. Or maybe you are arriving late to a group workout, and just want to jump into the next rep. But before you ‘Hulk-Out’ at the gym or go full-speed into the workout, did you think about ensuring that you are properly warmed-up?
So why does a good warm-up matter, especially if you have been able to hit goals without including drills and calisthenics into a pre-workout routine? Warming-up actually has many proven benefits that can include:
- Enhanced Performance– most athletes want to find the best ways to lead to “enhanced performance.” A warm-up is a simple and effective way to achieve this goal. After only 10-12 minutes of body movement, the amount of blood flow to skeletal muscles increases between 70-75 percent compared to sitting. In addition, during increased movement and more blood flow, the capillaries open and the muscle temperature increases. This leads to faster muscle contractions, nerve transmissions, and muscle metabolism, which in-turn, yields to muscles working more efficiently
- Injury Prevention– a warm-up is considered “necessary” by the American College of Sports Medicine to prepare the body for exercise. A warm-up increases both heart rate and blood flow to the muscles. It is encouraged that general cardiovascular activities should commence the warm-up, such as walking, jogging, or biking. Subsequently, more sport specific exercises, drills, and stretches should be included to ready the body for certain workouts.
- Mental Readiness– preparing mentally before a competition or workout can actually better prepare you to accept the discomforts that may come from the tough intervals or repetitions. The more prepared the mind and body are to accepting the possible challenges that lie ahead, the better control of mental energy and self-confidence that can be achieved.
Don’t Forget the Cool-Down
The post workout cool-down, which allows the body to return to a “normal” state, is equally as important as the warm-up. An abrupt stop in exercise can lead to pooling in the legs, blood pressure drops, and dizziness. It is important to bring your heart rate down to about 100 to 120 beats per minute. As a bonus, you can include stretching after your workout to maximize recovery, especially while the muscles are still warm.
The Ultimate Warm-Up and Cool-Down with Marc Pro
Want to up your warm-up game and gain even more of an edge on recovery after working out? Consider adding the Marc Pro to your training regime. You can use the Marc Pro to loosen and prep muscles before a workout, such as with a global arm flush or a global leg flush. Or relax after a hard effort and prepare for tomorrow’s workout with Marc Pro for recovery.
What are the keys to your warm-up and cool-down routines? Tweet @themarcpro and share your secrets for ultimate warm-up and cool-down success!