Warming up before a workout consists of much more than a stretch and a jog.
Training Time : Tim Rudd for IYCA
Warming up is a critical starting point for an optimal workout. And if an athlete’s goal is to improve his or her performance, they need to use proven warm-up principles.
An effective warm-up provides numerous benefits:
>> Improves alignment and posture,
>> Decreases viscosity (i.e. it makes your joints feel good!)
>> Increases muscle temperature, and therefore flexibility/extensibility,
>> Releases epinephrine, norepinephrine, etc.
>> Increases nervous system conductivity.
An intelligent and comprehensive warm-up covers three primary areas:
THE RESET
A reset is a specific breathing exercise used to restore optimal posture or alignment. This is a very specific exercise that is highly dependent on a trainer’s assessments. For example a 90/90 wall hip bridge exercise can help reset the ribcage and push some air into the right side of an athlete’s chest, realigning the rib cage and pelvis and increasing the athlete’s mobility. If athletes are immobile and unstable, they will struggle demonstrating strength, power and endurance.
THE RELEASE
This is where we utilize tools like foam rollers, softballs, lacrosse balls, golf balls and The Stick. This is commonly know as Self Myofascial Release and is used to increase blood flow and reduce stiffness throughout all the muscles and joints of the body. This helps to increase the effectiveness of the warm-up and get them squared up. Once the athlete is optimally aligned, released and squared up, it’s time to focus on actually warming up.
Check out the rest of the article in our digital edition of SportStars Magazine: Inside A Good Warm-Up
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