You’ve probably heard of warming up before exercising. It’s simply stretching before working out and important in a number of ways. It helps boost circulation, which warms the muscles and improves flexibility. It also prepares your mind and body for the coming workout. Warm-up sessions involve stretching the muscles that you’ll be using during the session. It doesn’t have to be just stretching. If you’re about to run, taking a brisk walk or doing jumping jacks can be a good warm-up session.
You’ll improve circulation and raise your body temperature.
You’ll prepare those muscles for action, while increasing your body temperature. Both of these not only improve your workout, but also increase the number of calories you’ll burn. Waste can accumulate in muscles and stretching helps release the waste products, which can prevent muscle aches and pains. It also prepares your heart for a tough workout and eases the body from sedentary to active. Without that transitional period, a sudden demand on the heart can cause a spike in blood pressure.
Stretching before a workout can improve your posture and your mood.
You’ll have better form when you workout and improve your mood. Stretching can help make you mentally ready for a workout, so you’ll put more effort into your session. A warm-up session of stretching can prepare your nervous system, too. That preparation can boost agility and a faster reaction time. Warming up with dynamic stretches should be used before working out. These include lunges and other active motions. Static stretches, such as touching your toes, should not be included in warm-up sessions.
Lactic acid build-up is reduced with pre-workout stretches.
The increased circulation helps increase the oxygen in the blood. Too little oxygen can increase a lactic acid build-up. That can occur if you go from sedentary to extremely active too quickly. If it builds up too quickly, the body can’t remove it and it causes an increased acidity in the bodily fluids, such as the blood, interfering with the body’s pH levels. That makes working out more difficult and can even cause you to quit sooner than planned.
- Stretching before working out can boost strength. It helps lengthen muscles that are tight and allows full extension to boost strength. It also helps protect the joints and muscles, preventing future pain.
- The five to ten warm-up stretches can help you mentally get into exercise. It can aid in turning your focus into your workout session and leave the worries of the day in the past.
- If you have aching muscles or pain, warm-up stretches can bring relief. You don’t have to sit too long before your muscles start to shorten. That can tug on joints and other muscles, causing pain. Warm-up stretches relieve that.
- Taking five to ten minutes to warm the body before working out can prevent injuries that will prevent you from working out for weeks. It’s more than just worth the effort, it’s necessary.
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