Warming up before exercise may seem tedious but to me it is the most important part of a workout. It prepares the body for physical activity.

This morning at 7am it was 18 degrees, which makes it even more crucial to get the body warm before exercise. I spent a little extra time with my first client making sure she was really warm before we got into lifting weights.

I know for myself I need at least 5 minutes of warm-up. if my body isn’t fully warm, I cannot perform exercises to my full potential. Some people may need 10-15 minutes to warm-up, but I think it is important to listen to your body.

Some people jump right into their workouts without doing a Warm-Up or only taking 1-2 minutes to warm-up and it scares me. Even if you are short on time you need to take your warm-up seriously. You increase your risk for injury and pulled muscles if your muscles aren’t ready for exercise.

Tips for a better Warm-up:

1. Incorporate 5-15 minutes of warm-up time to your workout
2. Choose at the minimum 5 minutes to do low intensity cardio (treadmill, bike, elliptical, or light calisthenics)
3. Take another 5-10 minutes to do some light stretching.
4. Once your body and muscles feel prepared, begin your workout!

 

For more tips, check out the links below!

Trainer Tip #9 Keep your muscles confused

Trainer Tip #8: Make time for yourself

Trainer Tip #7: Get more out of your Group Fitness Class

Trainer Tip #6  Choose exercise that you enjoy doing

Trainer Tip #5 Quality vs Quantity

Trainer Tip #4 Lift a little heavier

Trainer Tip #3 A short workout is better then no workout

Trainer Tip #2 Exercising outdoors

Trainer Tip Tuesday #1: If you don’t like an exercise, start doing it!

 

Do you do a warm-up before your workout?

Have you ever injured yourself from not being warmed up properly?