The Importance of Warming Up

At 5am (or whatever session you attend) when you’re told to go for run it’s not just because the coaches want a time out or because we feel evil. The warm up is an essential piece of every gym goers routine. If it’s not, we may start to see injuries incur.

So why warm up? Besides creating blood flow and adding synovial fluids with in the joints to make movements easier, it’s also a good time to activate the relevant muscles which will be used for that days workouts.

Through warm ups, stretching and corrective exercises your movement patterns can be improved. For all those incredibly tight folk who choose not to stretch, mobilise, and practice movement patterns outside of the gym (won’t name any names) this is a chance for the coaches to positively influence your movements. Within saying that it’s important for me to note that you don’t necessarily have to do a movement to be better at it. For instance; 10m of toe touches (when performed correctly) can promote an active stretch on multiple muscles (back, Hammies, and calves), activate hamstring in a unilateral fashion, getting you ready for squatting, running and or pulling movements, improve core strength, and increase coordination to name a few. All of which are things that would promote a better squat, deadlift and most of the Olympic lifts.

Although it might seem like a good time to catch up with others from the community (which it is) I ask that you be mindful of the importance of the warm-up. Trying to feel a stretch and purposefully activating muscles in preparation for that days workout may be the 1% difference in your daily performance, weekly results or most importantly be the stopper of injury.

Realistically, you guys get off easy with a 5 minute body prep. A lot of high level CrossFit athletes dedicate the entire time you’re in the gym just for their warm up. Obviously different goals, however note that they are doing it and you should too.