Warm Up to Cool Down

I can’t think of one person I know who likes to warm up before exercising.  Unfortunately, a proper warm up and cool down are extremely important to maximize one’s performance.  In recent years, some things have changed though. 

Static stretching (a prolonged stretch which most people associate with stretching) was once the warm up method of choice, but the current trend is to perform some kind of dynamic warm up or movement preparation prior to exercise.  Do the static stretching after exercise. So, why the change?  Put simply, all static stretching does for you is get your muscles ready to relax – neuromuscularly, it slows down your muscles.  Doesn’t it make more sense to prepare your muscles for action prior to exercise?  This is what dynamic warm ups and movement preparation can do. 

Dynamic warm up is a general term for any warm up activity which involves movement.  It usually reflects the requirements of your sport and not only warms muscles up but permits a little neural learning (developing the motor patterns necessary for performing your sport) in the process.  Dynamic warm ups can be very simple or complex, but it is usually good to start simple.  Movement preparation is a combination of exercise, warm up, and yoga which is excellent for preparing your body for sport.  I use dynamic warm ups and movement preparation in my therapy and training practices with great results. One of the best things about a dynamic warm up is that it is not boring!  You're not stuck, standing there, staring at the ground as you painfully force your hamstrings into previously uncharted territory – you’re actually moving, visualizing your sport and doing yourself some good.  Do a little research on it or contact me.  And save the static stretches for your warm down.