The Science of Warming Up: Why is it Important to Warm-Up Before Working Out?

Warm-up exercises are an important part of a workout regime. Not only it saves you months of rehabilitation, but it also makes the workout more enjoyable. However, some days it might be difficult to get to the gym. 24 hours in a day, and many of us still find warming up before working out an added burden.

However, the reasons to warm up before you work out are immense. Some of them are listed below:

1. Warm-up increases the body and muscle temperature: The body’s overall temperature gets increased due to warming up. It also increases the temperature of muscles. As a result, muscle elasticity gets improved and muscles become more flexible.
2. Warm-up reduces the risk of injuries: Due to the increased temperature, fluidity in movements is observed. Therefore, it avoids the chance of injuries.
3. It mentally prepares you for the workout: A warm-up before work out prepares you psychologically and thus reduces the physiological strain on the body. The psychological benefits include- it helps you focus, clearing your mind, and helps you concentrate on what lays ahead.
4. It increases the right hormones: The two most important energy-regulating hormones are cortisol and epinephrine. During your warm-up, these hormones get increased resulting in feelings of happiness and increased available energy.

 

Science behind Warming-up

Science has also backed the importance of working out.  When you work out, the body temperature slowly rises. As a result, there is less pressure on the heart and increased muscle temperature makes the range of motion for the workout easier. According to research, warming up makes the body produce hormones that increase the energy output.

How long should you ‘Warm-up’?

A general warm-up should last for about 5-10 minutes. However, warming up depends on the type of workout you are doing. Ideal warming up session is to slowly increase the body temperature and heart rate so as to prepare the body for the upcoming workout.

There hasn’t been any research that finally concludes an ideal time of warm-up. It entirely depends upon person to person and also the physical activity in which you are indulging.

To judge the effectiveness of your warm-up, heart rate is a good indicator. If you broke a sweat, that can also indicate that you have done a sufficient warm-up before your workout.

Exercises to Include  in Your Warm-up

Here’s a list of mixed warm-up exercises to try before hitting the gym next time:

1. Stretching
2. Rocking Angle Mobilization
3. Knee Lift Lunges
4. Jumping Jacks
5. High Knees

You can also check out a warm-up routine here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n753qyHsdw

In conclusion, Warming-Up is definitely a dynamic part of working out that helps in preparing you well. It builds a platform for a successful workout. Hope this article helped you!