By Kyra Oliver

It’s easy to skip the warm up, but should you? Absolutely not. A good warm up can make a big difference in a great workout, but that’s not all. Warming up prepares the body and mind for what’s to come. By raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to the muscles, the body gets ready to take on a little more work. That preparation can help reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury.

Here’s a little more about what is happening to your body and mind when you warm up:

• Reduces stress to the heart: warming up causes an increase in blood flow which causes the blood vessels to dilate. This keeps the heart muscle in a calmer state.
• Provides a strong mindset: when the mind is ready to go, the body will go too—if properly warmed up. The warm can help set the tone for what you are about to do by helping to increase focus and provide mental clarity.
• Creates more oxygen: When the blood starts pumpin’, it gets warm (hence, the name warm up). That temperature elevation creates more oxygen for use by working muscles and this can improve performance and endurance.
• Better range of motion: When the muscles are warm, they are better able to reach the range of motion you desire verses feeling stiff.
• More muscle flexibility: When the muscles are nice and warm, they are able to contract and release when you need them to. This can prevent injury because it reduces the risk of overextending a muscle. Additionally, it can help reduce soreness during and after the activity.
• Helps produce energy: Cortisol and epinephrine help regulate energy production by producing more carbs and fatty acids which are needed for the workout.

Which Warm Up Is Right For Me?

It depends on what you are doing, but choosing the right warm up is important. If you are walking, you could simply walk slower for 5-10 minutes. If you are running, you can do a short walk or easy jog followed by drills. Perhaps you are about to do a yoga or a core workout—a few cat cows, some bird dogs and glute bridges could get you ready to go.

 Join us by the Cal-a-Vie Health Spa windmill for this fun, dynamic warm up video. Whether you are tackling a weight lifting session or an evening run, this warm up will help you get your muscles ready to go! Click the image above to watch.