Why Warm Up Exercises is Important

Most of us know that it is compulsory to perform some sort of warm up exercises before any strenuous activity. However many have repeatedly ignored going through the warm up exercises before working out, not knowing the consequences of not doing enough warm up exercises.

3 main reasons of why warm up exercises is important?

1. When a physical activity initiated, a person’s respiratory rate, blood flow, oxygen and nutrient levels delivering to our cells will increase. Essential warm up before any physical exercises will enable the rate of increase to be regulated in a steady pace to prepare the body for the physical stress that the exercise demand.

2. The body will function less efficiently and the workout will produce less quality results. Warming up preps up the nervous system, heightens mental awareness and alertness, and loosens up joints and muscles to make them less prone to injuries

3. Warm ups jump starts the fluid located in the joints, minimizing the risk for wear and tear of the muscles. It gives the heart a suitable period to adjust and pump up blood and nutrients into muscles.

How to warm up properly?

One can always simply walk and jog just to enable the heart to beat faster. Start at a gentle pace, and then slowly increase the pace until the hear bear rate increases and the body temperature rises. However, always bear in mind that a warm up will not leave the person feel exhausted before the physical workout.

After working up a light sweat , one should do dynamic stretching. Stretching helps in developing overall flexibility, particularly in the spine, shoulder, and hip areas. The kind of stretching depends on the type of activity a person plans to engage to. For instance, if one is about to play sports, the recommended kind of stretching would be the ones that mimics the movements that will be done in the court or field. If one is about to do martial arts, light sparring can be done in the quarter of the normal speed, or just simply do the movements in slow motion. Be certain that the major muscles groups are stretched for 8 seconds minimum. It is necessary to remember to keep feet moving or do leg exercises whenever the upper body is stretched to keep prevent blood from pooling in the legs. Remember, one should only do stretching if the muscles are already warmed up. Do not bounce while stretching. It leads to a contraction that can result in muscle tear or pull.


Similar to warming up before exercises, it is equally important to cool down after a workout. When a person suddenly stops exercising, blood gathers in the muscle and oxygen is blocked. When this happens, a person runs the risk of having a heart attack. So cooling down should have the same importance as warming up.

Exercise is good for the health. Everyone is encouraged to pump it up, just remember to remember all the necessary precautions not only to maximize the workout, but also to stay safe and healthy.