Why You Should Never Avoid A Warm Up

This week we have a guest post from year 2 Sports Physio Jason Cardy, who looks at the importance of completing a warm up before exercise. When looking at pre-activity (warm up before training or matches) the key thing that any athlete should be doing whether it be at grass roots level or at the elite level is a thorough warm up. By completing a warm up to a high level you’re getting your body ready for the intensity of the activity you’re doing, raising your body temperature and also your heart rate; this all helps in reducing the risk of injury. Pulse Raiser At the start of any warm up you want to ideally raise your heart rate. If there is any specialist equipment such as a bike or a treadmill you would look to use this for between 5-10 minutes at a moderate intensity. If there is no equipment available then a jog will suffice, but you need to make sure that your pulse is increasing. Dynamic stretching This type of stretching is stretching that involves movement whilst completing the stretch, for example walking lunges or squats. The alternative to this is static stretching, this can be completed after dynamic stretches; however, this can decrease the temperature in the muscles which increases the risk of injury. Example Warm-up - Jog for 5 minutes - Sidesteps facing one way come back facing the same way - Sidesteps in a squat position facing the same way when coming back - Lunges with walk - Squats with a jump - Hamstring stretch trying hard to brush the ground with your fingers as completing the stretch - Swinging leg kicks - Open the gates and close the gates After this you would look to carry on this warm up with a skill specific session; whether it be passing of a football whilst jogging or passing a rugby ball whilst jogging. This will then make sure that your body is ready for the activity ahead with a reduced chance of obtaining and injury.