“Make sure you warm up.” This is such a common phrase we tell people in the physical therapy setting, and yet many people still may not know exactly what that means. Whether you are a competitive athlete, or someone who occasionally exercises for health/recreation, a proper warm up is essential prior to any workout. But what should a warm up look like prior to a workout or competition? Research has shown that a proper dynamic warm up has several benefits that will not only improve your athletic performance but will help in injury prevention as well.
So what is a dynamic warm up? A dynamic warm up incorporates sport or activity specific movements to prepare your muscles for the activity you will be doing. These movements will help to increase heart rate and blood flow, improve body awareness and coordination, and improve flexibility. Traditionally, many athletes grew up performing static stretches, or holding a particular stretch for about 30 seconds, prior to activity. However, many studies have shown that a dynamic warm up in comparison to static stretching will actually improve performance by increasing power and reaction time, as well as enhancing neuromuscular function and preventing injury.
To perform a dynamic warm up, think about the specific movements your body will be doing throughout the activity. For example, a soccer player would want to incorporate some light jogging, gentle forward and side lunges, high knees, and slow walking straight leg raises in their warm up to mimic a lot of the motions they will be doing and prepare their body for competition. Whatever the sport or activity may be, regardless of intensity, please make sure to adequately go through a dynamic warm up to prepare your body for optimal performance and injury prevention. For any questions about how you should perform a dynamic warm up specific to your activity, please contact a physical therapist at ProActive Physical Therapy.
References:
Baechle, Thomas, Earle, Roger. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Third Edition. Hong Kong: Human Kinetics; 2008.
Bongiovanni, Kate. Dynamic Warmups Make you Stronger, Faster. 2014. https://running.competitor.com.