Warm-up exercises
EXERCISE sessions can be quite demanding on your body, and this can be more challenging if the body is not prepared for the rigorous activities that it will have to endure. One way of ensuring that the body is not worn or experiences a significant range of injuries, personal trainer and fitness expert at Hard End Fitness Factory on Ardenne Road, Gisel Harrow said, is practising to engage in warm-up exercises before getting into your fitness regimen.
“A lot of people like to go into the gym and focus on their fitness goals without thinking about the pressure that is placed on the body and the importance of making it ready for this. However, whether it may be body-weight exercise, a light run in the park or an intense 30-minute workout, warming up will raise the total body temperature, muscle temperature and stretches muscles,” Harrow explained.
She further underscored that the warm-up period also prepares the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous and musculoskeletal systems by gradually increasing the demand on them in an effort to prepare them to accommodate pressure that will come with these strenuous exercise activities.
A warm-up can be five to 15 minutes in duration and includes taking the body through progressive movements that loosen and stretch your muscles. Below, Harrow shares some of the best and easiest, but effective warm-up exercises:
Jumping jacks
This is a common full-body exercise that focuses on strength, raising the body temperature and aerobic capacity. To achieve this you will stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Now quickly raise your arms above your head while jumping with feet wide then bringing your legs together again while bringing your arms down from above your head back down to your hips.
Walking high knee hugs
This exercise, while the entire body is involved, targets the specific areas, hamstrings and glutes. To complete this exercise you will stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and both arms at your side. Next, you will raise your left knee towards your chest while using both hands to hold (hug) your right shin and pull your knee up as close to your chest as you can. Now release the left knee, step forward, and repeat with the right knee. Alternate your legs back and forth as you walk.
Inchworms
This warm-up exercise focuses primarily on the core and shoulder muscles. However, other areas such as the arms, chest and back are also worked. To complete this exercise you will need to stand straight and bend over until your palms are in contact with the floor. Keeping your legs straight, walk on your hands for as long as you can while retaining posture, then pause before taking tiny steps walking back. Repeat this a few times.
Modified burpees
This exercise targets many muscles including the triceps, biceps and quads. To execute this exercise you will take a standing position. Then squat and place your hands in front of your feet on the floor. Now place one foot far behind you then place the other foot right beside it to create a high plank position. Reverse that by stepping one foot in towards your hand(s) right where it was when you started. Follow with the other foot, stand up, and then repeat the sequence.
Air squats
With your feet just a little wider than hip-width apart, your toes turned out slightly and your arms at your sides, you will then engage your abdominal muscles and broaden across your chest by gently pulling your shoulder blades in towards each other. Now bend your knees slowly while pushing your butt and hips out, as if you are about to sit on a chair. Keeping your head and shoulders as well as your knees aligned over your ankles, focus on keeping your weight balanced evenly. Lastly, lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your knees externally rotating, or tracking over your toes; don’t let them fall inward. As you lower down, raise your arms up and in front of you no higher than parallel to the ground.
Walking lunges
With your feet together, stand upright, then take a controlled step forward with your right leg. Now lower your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. The back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over the ankle. Following this, press your right heel into the ground, and push off with your left foot to bring your left leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side.
Dynamic stretches
These are a group of simple moves that involve continuously moving through a range of motion. Some examples of these include using your arms to make big circles in both directions, kicking your legs forward, or simply touching your toes or even throwing your arms up towards the sky.
In the same way that warm-up exercises are important, Harrow said that it is also important to focus on cool down exercises. Cool down exercises, she says, are designed to bring the body back to its normal pace gradually while repairing it to recover from the pressure placed on it. These exercises may vary and can include a mix of activities such as stretching, yoga, meditation and jogging or walking.
