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The Four Key Elements of the Warm Pp
Identifyingthe components of an effective and safe warm up, and executing them inthe correct order is critical. Remember, stretching is only one part ofan effective warm up and its' place in the warm up routine is specificand dependant on the other components. The four key elements that should be included to ensure an effective and complete warm up are:
1.) General warm up
Thegeneral warm up should consist of a light physical activity, likewalking, jogging, easy swimming, stationary bike, skipping or easyaerobics. Both the intensity and duration of the general warm up (orhow hard and how long), should be governed by the fitness level of theparticipating athlete. Although a correct general warm up for theaverage person should take about five to ten minutes and result in alight sweat.
The aim of the general warm up is simplyto elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate. This in turn increasesthe blood flow and helps with the transportation of oxygen andnutrients to the working muscles. This also helps to increase themuscle temperature, allowing for a more effective static stretch. Whichbring us to part two.
2.) Static stretching
Yes,Static stretching! This is a very safe and effective form of basicstretching. There is a limited threat of injury and it is extremelybeneficial for overall flexibility. During this part of the warm up,static stretching should include all the major muscle groups, and thisentire part should last for about five to ten minutes.
Staticstretching is performed by placing the body into a position whereby themuscle or group of muscles to be stretched is under tension. Both theopposing muscle group (the muscles behind or in front of the stretchedmuscle), and the muscles to be stretched are relaxed. Then slowly andcautiously the body is moved to increase the tension of the muscle, orgroup of muscles to be stretched. At this point the position is held ormaintained to allow the muscles and tendons to lengthen.
There'squite a bit of controversy about whether static stretching should beincluded in the warm up, and recent studies have shown that staticstretching may have an adverse effect on muscle contraction speed andtherefore impair performance of athletes involved in sports requiringhigh levels of power and speed. It is for this reason that staticstretching is conducted early in the warm-up procedure and is alwaysfollowed by sports specific drills and dynamic stretching.
Thenext part of an effective warm up is extremely important, as it helpsto lengthen both the muscles and tendons, which in turn allows yourlimbs a greater range of movement. This is very important in theprevention of muscle and tendon injuries.
The abovetwo elements form the basis, or foundation for a complete and effectivewarm up. It is extremely important that these two elements be completedproperly before moving onto the next two elements. The propercompletion of elements one and two, will now allow for the morespecific and vigorous activities necessary for elements three and four.
3.) Sport specific warm up
Withthe first two parts of the warm up carried out thoroughly andcorrectly, it is now safe to move onto the third part of an effectivewarm up. In this part, the athlete is specifically preparing their bodyfor the demands of their particular sport. During this part of the warmup, more vigorous activity should be employed. Activities shouldreflect the type of movements and actions which will be required duringthe sporting event.
4.) Dynamic stretching
Finally,a correct warm up should finish with a series of dynamic stretches.However, this form of stretching carries with it a high risk of injuryif used incorrectly. It should really only be used under thesupervision of a professional sports coach or trainer. Dynamicstretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and isreally only suited for professional, well trained, highly conditionedathletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level ofgeneral flexibility has been established.
Dynamicstretching involves a controlled, soft bounce or swinging motion toforce a particular body part past its usual range of movement. Theforce of the bounce or swing is gradually increased but should neverbecome radical or uncontrolled.
Please note; dynamicstretching carries with it an increased risk of injury if usedincorrectly. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning thanflexibility and is really only suited for highly trained and wellconditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after ahigh level of general flexibility has been established.
Duringthis last part of an effective warm up it is also important to keep thedynamic stretches specific to the athlete's particular sport. This isthe final part of the warm up and should result in the athlete reachinga physical and mental peak. At this point the athlete is most preparedfor the rigors of their sport or activity.
Stretchingis one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athleticperformance and getting rid of those annoying sports injuries. Don'tmake the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretchingwon't be effective. |
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