Smarter Ways To Warm Up

By Ross Titza :: More posts in Training and Exercise

You don’t have to be an exercise physiologist to know that your body stiffens up a bit with the onset of cool winter days making it a good time to rethink your warm-up. While most of us will walk on the treadmill for five minutes and go right into lifting weights or heavy “cardio,” you will know better after reading this post. Use this quick guide to help better your warm-up or even just to loosen up on a cold rainy day.

1. Foam Rolling: For many of us getting a massage a few days a week may not be an option because of time and financial constraints. Foam Rolling can provide similar benefits to that of a massage and its practically free. It helps remove trigger points and removes restrictions in the fascia (the connective tissue that encases the muscle) similar to a good massage. It is an effective way to loosen up muscles and improve their bloodflow- and in effect your mobilty. Roll the upper spine, and all throughout the upper legs. If you are a runner I highly suggest “The Stick” to roll your feet and lower leg as well. Both can be purchased at Perform Better.
2. Corrective Stretching: This is where self-assessment may come in handy. Figure out where the tight areas are in your body and open those areas up with any form of stretching you are comfortable with. Do this after foam rolling and before you exercise. Keep in mind, tight areas like the low back benefit greatly from stretching the hips. It may be a good idea to refer out to a personal trainer, physical therapist or chiropractor, to give you a better idea on what needs to be stretched.
3. Dynamic prep. The take home message here is not to spend all of your time on the cardio equipment and instead to loosen your body up by performing movements similar to that of the exercise you will be performing. For more information, read Mark Verstegan’s book “Core Performance” in which a universal movement preparation routine is outlined in great detail.

So until spring, keep in mind that the extra 10-15 minutes spent on a quality warm-up will keep you flexible and help you prevent injuries all year long.