The Warm Up Act!

In the last post I highlighted how physical activity can help with mental health, moving more indoors or outdoors is a definitely a good thing! I certainly buy into this although admittedly I have always enjoyed sport and exercise, but I know that it is not for everyone. The benefits, however, speak for themselves and in fact more and more people are giving it a go. The one thing I do notice though is how few people do or are really aware of the benefits of any pre-workout preparation.

I've been running and taking part in various sports all my life and I was definitely one of those who just got stuck in and hoped for the best. I ran because I could, I played racket sports because I could (I had enough co-ordination to put racket on ball (or shuttlecock!), I now play golf because ....., actually not sure why I play golf, it's the most infuriating game ever! The point is I did all this without ever really knowing or giving due respect to what I should be doing to properly prepare or look after myself. I knew I was supposed to stretch but, really? How boring is that and what was I supposed to be stretching anyway?! Fortunately, I did learn as I went along and now of course being a qualified PT I know that it isn't just about the main event but about moving into it and out of it - the warm up and the cool down.

To be fair I am still sometimes guilty of not always preparing properly, particularly when I run. I assume that the first mile will be sufficient to get me into my stride and, yes, it works to a degree, especially if I am not running against the clock. That first mile can be very difficult as my body fights to sort itself out and I could quite easily throw the towel in at any point during that first 10 minutes or so. The problem here is that if I start from a rested state then blood oxygen levels are insufficient to fuel the higher level of activity that I am asking of myself and if I go off too fast - well, then it's really tough as I've burnt through any immediate available energy and then start having to find more very quickly. Basically I am moving from an anaerobic (without oxygen) state to an aerobic (with oxygen) state without having given myself much warning. So to combat some of this, I'll introduce the 'warm up act'! My overwhelming advice would be to get to know this act making it part of every workout, run, tennis match, golf game etc, it'll serve you well!!

The general consensus is that warming up prior to exercise is beneficial, although there is a tendency for people not to warm up properly, if at all. If we attend a gym class or have some one to one training then, yes, things will be different and you will be taken through a warm up routine prior to the main event. I have, though, noticed that for those who are exercising individually in a less structured way then the warm up process is either non existent or at least a bit random in its format. Agreed, it's boring and if we're short of time then the temptation is to dive straight in and get on with the best bit, the bit where you're getting a sweat on, burning those calories, torching the fat, shredding inches, gaining muscle! But if you want to get the most out of your session then pay attention to your preparation.

What happens when we warm up?

Essentially it does what it says on the tin - raises the body temperature! We are looking to prepare the body (and the mind) for what we are about to ask of it. So we need to raise the heart rate, activate appropriate muscle groups, mobilise the joints to maximise range of movement and reduce stiffness, providing the best potential for your session. Here are the basics:

• Improved neural function and co-ordination - we become more alert!

• Gradual increased demand made on the circulatory, respiratory and metabolic systems, gradually increasing the heart rate - gradual is important as we keep stress to a minimum

• Protection of the major joints, it takes time to increase the supply of lubricating synovial fluid and to thicken the articular cartilages - the body's shock absorbers.

• Increased rate of oxygen delivery to the muscles and speed up many of the processes associated with exercise metabolism.

• Increased temperature of the body, which increases the speed and force of muscular contractions because nerve impulses travel faster at higher body temperatures, and muscles become less stiff and more 'pliable'.

• Enable blood to be diverted away, gradually and therefore safely, from other parts of the body such as the digestive system to the muscles being exercised.

• Increased blood flow to the working muscles, which can raise the flow of oxygen to the muscle cells.

Whilst there is no overwhelming evidence either way to suggest whether or not warming up will prevent injury, there is a general consensus that all the above points suggest it is a good thing to do and would support the theory that a relevant, focused warm up will help prevent injury. I certainly agree with this and my advice would be 'do it'! With no evidence to endorse or discontinue warming up prior to exercise and no increased risk of injury, then why wouldn't you do what appears to makes sense?

How should we warm up?

This really depends on what your planned session is going to be as specificity is important, as is level of fitness, flexibility etc. For simplicity though, consider a 10 min warm up with 4-5 minutes spent raising the heart rate and then the rest on mobilisation. You should be progressive in movement, gradually increasing heart rate and range of joint movement (small to big). The warm up should at least consist of:

General pulse raiser - cardio to raise the heart rate. You are basically looking to get a bit of a sweat on, so that you are nearing the level of exertion that you are expecting to be working at during the main session. This is where heart rate monitors (your Garmin, fitbit or a chest HR monitor) come in to their own. But you can also use a simple scale of 1-10 to measure your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). The warm up should take to you up to about 4-5 on this scale. So for example if I intend to make that first mile of my run count I need to be working to that RPE scale of about 5 before I even start. The easiest way for me to do this is to 'run before I run', or at least a few minutes of jogging round the garden! The following are popular starters:

Running/marching on spot; skipping; jumping jacks (or step jacks if jumping is uncomfortable); butt kicks. Dancing works too!

Dynamic stretching - involves actively moving your muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Dynamic stretching aims to increase your reach, optimise your active range of motion and prepare your muscles and tendons to work. You should try and be specific, think about what you are planning to do in the main session and focus on the relevant muscle groups.

But what about static stretching??? Well, again the jury is out on when and how to put these into your workout. I prefer the dynamic stretching process and I tend to save static stretches (ie no movement) for the end of the session as part of the cool down or, of course, for any particularly tight muscles that require a specific focus. Static is more about relaxing the muscle and lengthening it, it does not warm up or joints or nervous system in the same way as dynamic stretching does. However, it is up to the individual on what their requirements and preferences are.

If you are not sure, a safe bet is to take a whole body approach. In fact a 10 minute warm up routine can even serve pretty well as a standalone mobilisation workout, especially if you are one of the masses who are currently working at home and spending most of your time hunched over the laptop. Think about hips, glutes, hams, back, shoulders. Here's a few ideas:

• Bodyweight squats (and maybe add a little cardio by taking arms overhead too)

• Leg swings

• Bodyweight lunges (forward, reverse, side and maybe throw a twist in on the forward lunge)

• Inch worms or walkouts to high plank

• Arm circles/chest openers (you can do these whilst walking or marching to maintain heart rate

• 1/2 push ups (on knees) or full!

• Back mobilisation eg cat-camel (useful before core stability workouts)

The possibilities are endless but you only need a few at a time.

As for the cool down - too much for this post but in simple terms it is the reverse of the warm up. Spend time walking, lower the heart rate to RPE from eg 6 to 2 so that you can comfortably perform some end of workout stretching. (yes static stretches now!)

Embrace the warm up, it will help not only in preparation but is a great way to transition yourself from not doing to doing - sometimes we have no motivation but by starting with a light 10 minute session then we find ourselves in a much better place to carry on. Even if you don't want to carry on, at least you've moved your body, got the heart rate going, mobilised your joints and if necessary go back and sit down feeling a little less stiff!

If you want to know more or need some guidance, please get in touch