5 reasons to warm up

Alyssa Drouin LAT, ATC, M.S., CSCS

Not sure if a warm up is beneficial for you before your workouts!?

We are going to provide you with our five favorite reasons for warming up before exercise!

1. Reduces the risk of injury and soreness

By performing a warm up you are allowing more elasticity to your muscles which will cause them to move properly during the workout . You are also getting your heart rate up and blood pumping to produce more oxygen to the muscles allowing for a better workout. By warming up properly you are also reducing the chances of delayed muscle soreness following your workout.

2. Raises your body temperature

By performing aerobic activities you are producing energy with the use of oxygen. This will allow your cardiovascular system to go to work, and get your body temperature up, allowing muscles to contract easily!

Some of my favorite aerobic activities are:

• Air Squats

• High Knees

• Lunges with twists

• Stationary Bike

• Walking

  3. Allows proper muscles to go to work!

  We often neglect to use the proper muscles when working out which can then lead to compensation and sometimes injuries. As a former college athlete who suffered a shoulder injury I now see the importance of ensuring a warm up of my rotator cuff, pecs, and neck to ensure the whole shoulder is functioning as one unit.

4. Mental Preparation

We all know waking up early for a workout, or finding time for yourself after work can be challenging. There is nothing better than blasting your favorite songs and giving yourself those five to ten minutes to get pumped up before a workout. Using the warm up to mentally prepare will lead to better performance throughout!

5. Improve mobility

By performing a proper dynamic warm up, you are allowing the joint to move to its full potential which will lead to an improvement in mobility. By improving your mobility you will allow for better movement patterns throughout the body.

Not sure where to start in regards to a warm up? Here at FIXXED we will ALWAYS follow your session up with a handful of corrective exercises to perform before working out to ensure proper mechanics and recruitment throughout the muscle. We also offer the Normatec boots to decrease soreness, and offer full physical therapy if you aren’t sure where to start!

Fixxed is a first of its kind recovery studio offering bodywork techniques to help you move and feel your best. We offer quick and effective hands-on services in a one on one setting performed by a licensed physical therapist or athletic trainer. Click HERE to book a free consultation with FIXXED!