Warm Ups: The Most Important Exercises

Stretching doesn’t make you sweat as much as running or HIIT cardio does, and it doesn’t make you feel as strong as weight lifting does. Coming into a workout, you are ready for a burn, and warm ups may feel a little too light—even a waste of time that could be spent shredding and sweating. But don’t skip the stretch: warm up exercises are the most important part of your workout.

In fact, the benefits of stretching extend beyond exercise to your life outside the gym. Stretching protects your mobility throughout your life, boosts your athletic performance, and fights injury. Still not convinced? Check out the surprising benefits of warm up exercises. 

Flexibility

You don’t need to be a gymnast or yogi to benefit from stretching. Flexibility is a key component in muscle and bone health. Without flexibility, your muscles become short and tight, reducing the range of motion in your joints and increasing the risk of strains, pulled muscles, and joint pain. 

This is compounded if you have a desk job. Sitting for most of the day tightens up your hamstrings, making it hard to extend your leg and knee. Over time, you leave yourself susceptible to injury from even low-intensity exercise. Do yourself a favor: stretch to keep your muscles long and flexible.

Injury Prevention

Warm ups do exactly that: warm your body up, literally. A warm up increases your heart rate, gets your blood pumping more oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, and raises the temperature of your muscles so they are warm and ready to go. Working cold muscles can set you up for injury and pain. 

The best warm up exercises include starting with a light cardio workout, such as jumping jacks and a brisk walk or light jog, followed by stretching that targets the muscles you’ll be working that day. This gets your muscles and cardiovascular system all ready to go, reducing the risk of injury and soreness. You can’t work out and meet your fitness goals if you are injured, so set yourself up for success by stretching it out. 

To determine the best warm up exercises for your body and workout, meet with a personal trainer for a customized fitness plan.

Mental Game

You already know that working out is as much a mental game as a physical one. Stretching and warming up can help you get your head in the game. Plus, well-stretched muscles are less tense, which might relieve your mental stress. 

Starting your workout off slowly with warm ups will ease you into the work out, bringing out mentally from your work or home life and into a place where you can focus on your physical health and strength. Use your warm ups as a chance to set your intention for your workout, feeling out what your body needs that day and committing to yourself to finish.

Ready to meet your fitness goals and live your best life? First, stretch. Second, head to Next Phase Studios for a workout designed to help you meet your goals.