The warm-up exercises have the function of preparing the body for physical or sports activity. They are performed on the basis that a large number of injuries and heart problems such as arrhythmias can be associated with violent and aggressive exercise, without previously warming up the muscles.
The exercises with which the warm-up is carried out are of many types, and even vary according to the activity that you want to do later. However, in all cases the utility is to increase body temperature, which prevents the aforementioned injuries while delaying the onset of fatigue, and reduces muscle pain.
Most people are aware of the importance of the warm-up exercises to the extent that they have ever performed a sports practice with the muscles in a cold state, that is, stiff and hard: even if a person had to run for some circumstance without prior knowledge that they had to do it, they faced that situation. If the physical activity is strenuous and continuous, it is possible that once it is finished the muscles ache greatly.
What happens in the body?
The biological explanation of the warm-up process is that the exercises help to raise the temperature of the body, increase the pulsations, the pressure and blood and the blood flow towards the peripheral muscles. The blood issue is fundamental since in a state of rest, the heart pumps about five liters of blood per minute, distributed throughout the body, while during sports activity this multiplies by five, taking the muscles involved in the exercise a 84% of that flow.
Other processes take place inside the body during elongation, such as elongation. elevation of enzyme activity to produce energy, making the body aware of the imminence of sports activity. In addition, there is a progressive increase in the speed of nerve impulses, and a more rapid diffusion of oxygen from the pulmonary alveoli to the muscles.
Warm-up methodology
The warm-up process should always be done before starting a sporting activity, and it takes around 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the magnitude of the competition: highly competent athletes must devote a capital importance to this stage.
For each muscle there is one or more postures, and the elongation It is always performed from low to high in intensity, with a single smoothly moving movement. Here are some examples of these exercises:
- Turn your head trying to complete a circle.
- Standing, bend over until you touch the balls of your feet with both arms.
- Support your arm against a wall and gently turn your whole body in the other direction.
- Move your head to one side and take one hand with the other, stretching your neck and arm at the same time.
- One hand grasps the elbow of the other, which is looking for the opposite shoulder blade.
- Join the two soles of the feet, and hold the position with the knees as close to the floor as possible.
- Sitting, straighten one leg and bend the other. Seek to touch the tip of the foot outstretched.
- Squat down and try to hold the position.
- Sitting, with one leg extended and the other bent (passing over the extended leg), turn the body and seek to stretch shoulders and legs at the same time.
- Support both arms on the frame of a door and imitate the movement of going through the door.
- Leaning against a wall, with both soles of your feet on the ground, bring one leg forward until you feel the calves stretch.
- Take an ankle with both hands and bring it to chest level, with the other foot straight.
- Leaning one hand against a wall, try to bring the tip of the foot to the tail with the other, and hold that position.
- With your arms raised, try to move from a standing position to a squat position, in what is known as squats.
- Stretch your arms up and take a wrist with the other hand, then lean to the side.
- Lying down with your legs bent, grasp your head and lift it up until you feel a gentle tension in the never region.
- With both hands glued to a fence or wall, drop the upper half of the body.
- Interlock your hands and stretch them up.
- Raise one leg and straighten it, leaning the body sideways towards it.
- Lying down with your legs bent, extend both arms in different directions.