Why do we warm up before a workout and what’s the best way to warm up?
We warm up to reduce injury risk and increase performance and intensity level on the main focus of the day (which means we get more benefit out of our training session).
Warming up reduces injury risk and primes the body for performance in several ways:
- Gradual increase in heart rate and breathing. Allows cardiovascular system to prepare for increased demand and prevents a sudden stress on the heart and lungs
- Increased blood flow and oxygen delivery. Increased heart rate leads to more oxygen and nutrients being delivered to the muscles, preparing them for increased activity and reducing the chance of a strained muscle.
- Gradual increase in muscle temperature. Enhances muscle elasticity and strength, allowing muscle to stretch and contract more effectively without damage.
- Activation of the nervous system. Improves coordination and reaction times and reinforces proper form for the upcoming movements.
A good warm-up should gradually increase the heart rate while progressing through relevant ranges of motion and techniques for the day. If the workout of the day includes squat cleans and pull-ups, a good warm-up might look something like below (and if you don’t know what any of those are, that’s OK because our coaches walk you through it every time!)
10 minutes 2-3 rounds:
- [increase heart rate]: 20 jumping jacks
- [activate core, glutes, hamstrings]: 8 banded good mornings
- [activate shoulders, core, range of motion]: 5 inchworms w/ cobra pose
- [activate back, biceps, grip, and technique of the day]: 20s active hang (later rounds build to 7 scap pull-ups, kipping swings, then pull-ups)
- [activate legs and technique of the day]: 5 clean deadlifts, 5 front squats, 5 hang power cleans (later rounds progress to empty bar and hang squat cleans)
We also encourage our athletes to add in any warm-up movements specific to their body or limitations.
Make sure you’re warming up properly to reduce the chance of injury and to get the most out of your training session. If you don’t know where to start, ask one of our coaches!
Dean
info@crossfitreverb.net