The Lo-down on the Warm Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n- It gets your head in the game<\/span>.\u00a0 The warm up provides a mental transition from your regular day to your workout.\u00a0 It is an opportunity to set aside any stressful thoughts or outside pressures and make the next 30 minutes or one hour all about taking care of you.<\/li>
- It will reduce your risk of injury<\/span> – Some low intensity activity specific movement will increase blood flow and cause our body temperature to rise. This improves muscle and tendon flexibility and joint lubrication. Muscle & joint stiffness is thought to be related to injury, so enhancing muscle flexibility and joint viscosity should help to minimize this risk<\/li>
- A warm up will activate your Central Nervous System<\/span> and prepare your body for movement.\u00a0 This equals better balance & coordination.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>
- It also increases our mobility and range of motion<\/span> which translates into a more effective workout.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
So what should your warm up look like?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
If your workout is cardio focused start at a slower pace and gradually build up speed and intensity (for example a few minutes of walking to a slow jog before a run)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are strength training Include dynamic movements to elongate muscles and increase joint range of motion. Focus on larger muscle groups first, then move to smaller muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a quick sample warm up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 0:00-1:00 – walk on the treadmill or march in place <\/li>
- 1:00-2:00 – leg swings (30 seconds each leg)<\/li>
- 2:00-2:30 – ankle circles (15 seconds each leg)<\/li>
- 2:30-3:00 – body weight squats<\/li>
- 3:00-3:30 – arm circles (15 seconds each direction)<\/li>
- 3:30-4:30 – torso twists<\/li>
- 4:30-5:00- inchworm walk outs<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/firedupfitness.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/warmup.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe Cool-Down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ok, so now your workout is done.\u00a0 Here are a few reasons why its a good idea to stick around for a quick cool down<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Helps muscles return to optimal length and prevents pooling of blood to certain extremities, which prevents your blood pressure from dropping too rapidly.\u00a0 This rapid drop in blood pressure can cause dizziness or lightheadedness.<\/li>
- It allows the body to gradually reduce the heart rate, breathing and body temperature.\u00a0 This provides us an opportunity to safely transition from exercising back to a steady state of rest.<\/li>
- The cool down provides our body with the opportunity to continue to send oxygen to the muscles for faster recovery. This will help to rid the muscles of lactic acid and other chemicals built up throughout the exercise, reducing the risk and or severity of delayed onset muscle soreness.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Your cool down can be 5-10 minutes depending on the intensity of your workout.\u00a0Begin by just slowing down whatever you are doing for example go from running to walking. Once you feel your heart rate and breathing slow you can transition into a few gentle stretches. Stretch larger muscle groups first (like quads, hamstrings and glutes) then move into smaller muscle groups. Move into a stretch slowly just to a point of slight tension in the muscle – not pain.\u00a0Hold here and take a few slow deep breaths to cue the muscle to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s it you can now get on with your day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nIt just takes a few short minutes at the beginning of your workout to prep the body as well as some time at the end to encourage recovery and transition back into your day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By taking the time to warm up and cool down, over time you will notice improved flexibility and mobility and you will begin to see quicker results from more effective workouts -willpower not required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nLooking for more exercise ideas? Check out the other articles in the blog here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to know how we can help you get stronger, leaner and pain free?\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0to find out more about Fired Up Fitness and our services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How & Why to Warm Up and Cool Down You\u2019ve actually found a few minutes in your schedule to get that workout in and you are raring to go, is that workout going to be sandwiched in between a warm up and a cool down? Well, many people skip over these two most important parts…<\/p>\n
So what should your warm up look like?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
If your workout is cardio focused start at a slower pace and gradually build up speed and intensity (for example a few minutes of walking to a slow jog before a run)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are strength training Include dynamic movements to elongate muscles and increase joint range of motion. Focus on larger muscle groups first, then move to smaller muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a quick sample warm up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 0:00-1:00 – walk on the treadmill or march in place <\/li>
- 1:00-2:00 – leg swings (30 seconds each leg)<\/li>
- 2:00-2:30 – ankle circles (15 seconds each leg)<\/li>
- 2:30-3:00 – body weight squats<\/li>
- 3:00-3:30 – arm circles (15 seconds each direction)<\/li>
- 3:30-4:30 – torso twists<\/li>
- 4:30-5:00- inchworm walk outs<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The Cool-Down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ok, so now your workout is done.\u00a0 Here are a few reasons why its a good idea to stick around for a quick cool down<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Helps muscles return to optimal length and prevents pooling of blood to certain extremities, which prevents your blood pressure from dropping too rapidly.\u00a0 This rapid drop in blood pressure can cause dizziness or lightheadedness.<\/li>
- It allows the body to gradually reduce the heart rate, breathing and body temperature.\u00a0 This provides us an opportunity to safely transition from exercising back to a steady state of rest.<\/li>
- The cool down provides our body with the opportunity to continue to send oxygen to the muscles for faster recovery. This will help to rid the muscles of lactic acid and other chemicals built up throughout the exercise, reducing the risk and or severity of delayed onset muscle soreness.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Your cool down can be 5-10 minutes depending on the intensity of your workout.\u00a0Begin by just slowing down whatever you are doing for example go from running to walking. Once you feel your heart rate and breathing slow you can transition into a few gentle stretches. Stretch larger muscle groups first (like quads, hamstrings and glutes) then move into smaller muscle groups. Move into a stretch slowly just to a point of slight tension in the muscle – not pain.\u00a0Hold here and take a few slow deep breaths to cue the muscle to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s it you can now get on with your day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nIt just takes a few short minutes at the beginning of your workout to prep the body as well as some time at the end to encourage recovery and transition back into your day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By taking the time to warm up and cool down, over time you will notice improved flexibility and mobility and you will begin to see quicker results from more effective workouts -willpower not required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nLooking for more exercise ideas? Check out the other articles in the blog here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to know how we can help you get stronger, leaner and pain free?\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0to find out more about Fired Up Fitness and our services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How & Why to Warm Up and Cool Down You\u2019ve actually found a few minutes in your schedule to get that workout in and you are raring to go, is that workout going to be sandwiched in between a warm up and a cool down? Well, many people skip over these two most important parts…<\/p>\n