OH! Magazine - Australian Version January 2014 (Australian Version) | Page 11

MICHELLE
BRIDGES

WARM UP

www.michellebridges.com.au

( Fitness )

Michelle Bridges explains why every workout
should begin with a warm up.

love watching people warm up
before a fun run. It’s like a weird
dance routine – jumps, knee raises,
running on the spot, side bends – dozens
of people all about to do the same thing
(run) and all of them preparing themselves
in different ways.
As a group fitness instructor, the fiveminute warm up before the class started
was always a vital ingredient; so much so
that some of my more authoritarian
colleagues would actually not allow a
latecomer to participate if they missed it.
So is there a right way to warm up?
And how long should we warm up for?
And most importantly, what does a warm
up actually do?
By definition, a warm up should
increase your body temperature before
exercise. When your muscles are warm
they will contract and relax more
efficiently and, therefore, quicker and
more forcefully, which will improve both
your speed and your strength.
As your muscles warm up, so too does
your blood. Your blood vessels and
capillaries dilate, enabling blood to flow
more easily through the enlarged vessels,
easing some of the load on your heart (this
step is really important for reducing the
risk of exercise-induced cardiac problems).
This increased blood flow ensures
oxygen and nutrients flow more easily to
muscles, tendons, ligaments and
connective tissues, elasticising them and
getting them ready for the work that lies
ahead. This newfound viscosity and
flexibility allows for a greater range of
movement, which means the risk of tears
and strains becomes reduced.
With your blood all nice and warm,
the oxygen molecules begin to separate

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http://youtu.be/J8VblnwAgiM

from the haemoglobin, making it more
readily available to fuel those muscles
that are now busily contracting and
relaxing. In turn, this gets your entire
cardiovascular system (i.e., the heart,
lungs, veins and arteries) all working in
sync. Each organ is responding to the
change in conditions, and is preparing
the body for the task ahead.
Now it’s not just your heart and muscles
having all the fun – your nervous system
also gets in on the act. Once you’re warmed
up, nerve pathways transmit signals faster
and more efficiently, sharpening our
responses. We think clearer and quicker
and are, generally, more alert.
Your body will also release hormones
that are crucial for energy production,
fast tracking the availability of
carbohydrates and fatty acids as fuel,
straight to your muscles.
All the individual components of your
amazing body will have, literally, wound
themselves up in unison to prepare for
the pending physical activity.

Michelle’s Tip
Everyone has a favourite warm up, but
for me the best routine is to undertake
five minutes of the same movements
that I’m about to do. Then, I like to
gradually increase the intensity. For
example, before I go for a run, I’ll jog a
little, then add a couple of brief sprints
to engage all the muscle fibres, and
then settle into my run. Remember to
keep your stretches until the end of
your workout, when your muscles are
warm and flexible. This will minimise
the likelihood of tears and strains.

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