An injury can be a frustrating part of your journey to be more physically fit. The best way to prevent injury is to properly warm up. Warming up introduces your body to the stress caused by exercise. The warm up is just as important as the workout itself. Acefitness.org, shares a great analogy, “It’s preparation – kind of like chopping vegetables before cooking. The way you prepare your veggies changes the meal. And cooking them can be more challenging if you skip chopping or do it poorly”. Imagine a whole carrot in your beef stew! Warming up before exercise is like chopping the carrots before adding them to the stew.
Acefitness.org also tells us that a warm up does the following for the body in terms of injury prevention:
- Helps joints move more freely.
- Warms up muscles, tendons, and ligaments so the move more easily.
- Gets your blood flowing so muscles can produce more energy for the workout.
- Stimulates nerve and muscle function to help you move more efficiently.
People often skip the warm up because they are short on time. However, jumping right in to exercise without warming up may cause your body to feel fatigued more quickly. Dynamic stretching is a great way to warm up. You can find movements for dynamic stretching by clicking here or by reading the articles found here and here.
If you do find yourself with an injury, you may need to consult with your Doctor before you’re ready to exercise again. It is also important to keep a positive attitude. You may fear losing any momentum you’ve gained with your physical activity routine, but proper rest to heal an injury will help prevent future set backs. When you’re ready, get back at it!
It is a great snack that feels like a treat. Enjoy!
Certified Nutrition Education Assistant