Never Skip the Warmup
Whenever we’re pressed for time, we tend to skip the warm-up, figuring that the main workout is what really counts. Nothing could be further from the truth.
If you’re going to scratch something in your routine, it should never be the warm-up.
Not only is warming up essential to preventing injury, it also makes you faster, fitter, and stronger over time. In other words, the warm-up is not a prologue to fitness — it’s Part 1 of the main act.
Warming up will make your workout feel easier than if you just hopped off the couch and went for it. Among other perks, a proper warm-up will:
Increase muscle core temperature, which decreases the work required for muscle contraction, meaning movement feels easier.
Allow higher maximum cardiac output and oxygen consumption, which increases your endurance and speed.
Causes blood vessels to dilate, which aids the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, so you can run faster and jump higher.
Increases your range of motion by heating the synovial (lubricating) fluid in your joints, improving flexibility.
Warms you up mentally, increasing motivation and focus.
What does a good warm-up look like? At the gym, we encourage you to get your heart rate up first. Run, row, bike, ski, or jump rope for at least 3 min.
Then, add in some mobility exercises. Every class at Minerstown includes them, but if you’re going to ski, run, bike, play pickleball, etc., it’s on you to do the warm-up.
For example, click here to see a mobility routine we made for pickleball players.
You could use this before just about sport, and it would help. You could do the Daily CARs before your sport, and that would help. Of course, the best warm-up is one designed for your body and your sport. If you’d like help creating one, we encourage you to sign up for a functional range assessment (FRA).
Post Workout Recovery:
To aid in your recovery after a gym workout, bike, row, ski, or walk for at least 10 minutes at a chill pace. The cooldown will increase your fat metabolism, aid recovery, and diminish delayed onset soreness. Following that, do a few mobility drills for problem areas.
While doing your sport, lower the intensity for the last few minutes to work in a cooldown. Ride a groomer for the last ski run, for example, and once you’re out of the ski boots, add some mobility movements targeting your problem areas (e.g., spine CARs if your low back tends to stiffen).
That’s it, folks. Cut an exercise if you’re pressed for time, but whatever you do, don’t skip warmup.
