You have probably been told by a physical education teacher, a coach, or a parent to warm up before physical activity. That’s good advice because exercise experts recommend a warm-up before engaging in physical activity. But why do we need to warm up, and how do our muscles get warm?
First, it’s important to warm up before physical activity because quickly stretching cold muscles can result in muscle strain injuries (tears in the muscle fibers or muscle tendons). It is especially important to do a thorough warm-up when the activity requires rapid movements and quick changes in direction, because these movements require your muscles to work in a variety of different positions and at many different lengths. Warm muscles are more elastic than cold, stiff muscles, and warm, elastic muscles respond to changes in length and position with less chance of injury than cold, stiff muscles.
The best warm-ups involve the whole body (such as brisk walking and jogging) and prepare the muscles of the body, including the heart, for heavier work. A controlled, slow-paced warm-up that lasts 5 to 10 minutes allows the muscles to work in a safe range of motion. When your muscles work, they release heat. That’s why you feel warm when you exercise. Sweat is one way that the body tries to get rid of extra body heat produced by working muscles. Once the body is warmed up, it is a good idea to stretch the muscles that you will use for the activity. Once you have completed your physical education class, practice, or workout, it is a good idea to cool down. Do you know what a cool-down is and why it is important?
The cool-down is simply a group of light exercises immediately after the activity. Some people call the cool-down a warm-down. Whatever name you decide to use, the cool-down is just the reverse of a warm-up. It is recommended that you take 5 to 10 minutes to gradually reduce the intensity of your activity. This period of activity allows the body to adjust from exercise to rest.
There are a few reasons for performing a cool-down. First, blood chemicals produced in the working muscles are processed more rapidly when you perform active cool-downs than they would if you stopped exercise abruptly. This may help you recover faster between activity sessions. Second, mild activity after heavy exercise keeps the blood pumping in your veins and prevents pooling of blood in the extremities (the lower legs and feet). Finally, your muscles are warm and elastic immediately after your activity, which makes it a great time to stretch your muscles to increase flexibility.
So, when planning your next workout, practice, or family activity outing, leave an extra 20 minutes for your warm-up (10 minutes) and cool-down (10 minutes). Maybe leave an extra 2 minutes to explain to your friends, family, or teammates why this is important.
You can learn more about preventing injuries from the National Institutes of Health.
