Why activating your muscles before a workout is important?

NPL performing a quad stretch, blog is highlighting the importance of warming up and activating your muscles before your workout

Warming up and stretching before a workout is a wake-up call for your body, muscle, and mind to prepare for the upcoming exercises. It is important to activate your muscles before a workout because a warm-up determines the success of your workout. It should feel like second nature after walking through the gym doors. Make warm-ups part of your daily workout routine.

 

You can easily add a warm-up to your daily workout sessions, and we will tell you how!

 

Let’s dive into the reasons why you should warm up before a workout according to to fit:

 

Blood flow to your muscles

 

Activating your muscles increases your blood flow to your muscles which prepares your muscles for a workout.

 

Raises your body temperature

 

This will, in essence, help your muscles to work out to their fullest potential. As your body temperature rises, your muscles receive higher oxygen levels. This means that your muscles will be more able to contract and release during a workout. Your heart will also be prepared, and your workout intensity increases.  It also allows you to work out for longer.

 

Lower risk of injuries

 

Warming up your muscles before a workout allows your muscles to become more elastic, which means your muscles can also handle more strain.  This will help you to sidestep any potential injuries during your workout.

 

Mental preparation

 

Activating your muscles gives your mind the necessary preparation for what is coming. It is better than jumping straight into an intense workout session. You will feel more focused and ready to tackle more workouts. This also increases your concentration for your workouts.

 

Improved flexibility

 

Warming up aids flexibility for your session which helps with your training exercises. Try stretching after warming up as it will further increase your flexibility in the short and long term. This will allow you to have retain proper form while working out.

 

Heavy machines at the gym

 

After a warm-up and a couple of stretches, your joints and ligaments will be able to handle heavy workouts with gym machines and equipment.

 

Improve coordination and reaction time

 

Warming up allows your nerve impulses to move faster, meaning you will have faster reaction speed and improved coordination.

 

Range of motion increases

 

This allows your joints and muscles to maximize movement. There are so many ways to warm up before a workout, eg. traditional static or dynamic stretches, jogging, cycling, swimming, jumping jacks, walking jacks, marching, arm circles, shoulder shrugs, mountain climbers, swinging toe touches, leg swings forward and side lunges.

 

When you are pressed for time, don’t ever skip your warm-up. Rather do one set less. Don’t forget to take care of your mind, muscles, and body! Always try to warm-up for at least 5-10 minutes. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds at a time. You can easily warm up at a gym by simply walking on the treadmill for a couple of minutes.

 

NPL is introducing the first LIVE event of its kind to provide women with a day filled with fitness, fun, and networking. Make sure to buy your tickets to the NPL Move Event here. Limited tickets are available! Monique is going to show us how to activate our muscles before her HIIT workout. The event will take place on the 6th of August at Toad bury Hall. Only R80 per ticket, get yours today.

 

Remember to keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook for more tips and advice. Get the body you always wanted for life!

 

 

References

 

https://fitathletic.com/5-reasons-warm-exercises-important/

https://eliteclubs.com/10-reasons-you-must-warm-up-before-any-type-of-workout/

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