The Warm Up

Undertaking a thorough warm-up routine can greatly reduce the likelihood of a sports-related injury. Below are listed the key benefits of a sufficient warm up, and the reasons why warming up is so important in physical activity.

Key Benefits

• Increased Body Temperature – Improves muscle elasticity, which is a key factor in reducing the likelihood of muscle pulls and strains
• Increased Muscle Temperature – During a warm-up, the temperature of the muscles increases, which means that the muscle will relax and contract more effectively making for greater speed and strength. This also means it is much less likely for the muscle to be pulled or over-stretched, so the chance of injury is reduced.
• Dilation of Blood Vessels – Dilated blood vessels allow more blood to reach the muscles more easily.
• Higher Blood Temperature – As the blood travels through the muscles, its temperature rises. When blood is warmer, it can carry more oxygen, meaning by raising blood temperature more oxygen can be made available to the muscles.
• Greater range of motion – As joints and muscles warm-up, they become more flexible and the range of motion is improved.
• Cooling Efficiency – By warming up, the body is able to activate the mechanisms which allow it to cool during physical exertion, such as sweating. This means that the athlete will not overheat early on during activity.
• Hormones – When warming up, the body produces hormones which regulate energy production. While you warm up, these hormones will enable more fatty acids and carbohydrates available to be turned into energy.