The human body is flexible, adaptable and capable of amazing things. However, like with many things in life, we have to be prepared to get the best out of ourselves.
Warming up is a vital part of any exercise, performance or preparation for sport, along with practice and a sports therapist, and without an effective, targeted warm-up routine, we are selling ourselves short.
Here are three reasons never to skip warm-up exercises.
They Improve Performance
There have been many studies on the effects of warming up on our physical performance. In the biggest meta-analysis looking at a wide range of studies, nearly four-fifths (79 per cent) of people who warmed up had a statistically proven improvement to their performance.
There are a few reasons for this. Gradually increasing your heart rate and the flow of blood to muscles prepares and activates them, which both strengthens and reduces the strain on muscles when they are used.
This is why it is important to target the muscles that are going to be used for the main exercise.
They Decrease Injury
Warm-ups decrease injury for several reasons. The first and most obvious is that they are designed to be gradual exercises that build up muscles. Joint exercises like knee stretches and squats help to build up muscle strength which also helps to decrease injuries.
As well as this, a muscle already prepared is less likely to strain or cramp, which reduces the risk of injury.
They Help with Mental Preparation
Warm-up exercises are simple and gradual, allowing you to focus on the task at hand. They also, by helping to improve performance and decrease injury, allow you to avoid thinking about anything but giving it your best.
Should you need a physiotherapist in Maidenhead, contact us today!