3 Types of Warm-up Before Sports You Must Do

No matter what the sport is or how fit you are, warm-up is the essential part for any kind of game for athletes and players. Warm-up stimulates the cardio vascular structure and prepare the muscles that play as the energy source of a player during games.

Several research studies also claim that, warm-up before game can prevent serious injury. However, you should be cautious about over warming up which can be counterproductive if done improperly.

The importance of warming up before any sports activity or workout is substantial. So, if you have a big game coming up in next few days, this article will guide you through the correct process of warming up for sports.

Here’s 5 Core Reasons Why You Must Warm-up:

1. Warm-up increases the temperature of your muscles that helps improved blood circulations across body and amplify the production of energy.
2. As your muscles are already stimulated, the reflex time and contractions improve dramatically.
3. Active participation in energy draining sports like football, rugby, cricket, badminton without proper warming up put a lot of stress in heart which can lead to heart failure.
4. As warming up increases the overall body temperature which mimics the actual increased temperature during sports, the player become ready to perform from very first second.
5. Warm-up decreases the chances of sport injuries on soft tissues like ligaments and tendons drastically. Check out this in-depth guide by sportsuncle for more info about sport injury.

3 Types of Warm-Ups Recommended by the Experts

Like I said earlier, any warm-up should be properly done. Otherwise, it may backfire. So, here’s the top 3 basic types of warming up processes that you should follow. Please note that, different game may need different types of warming up depending on the nature of physical activity. Always consult with your team physio before you start warm-up.    

1. General Warm-Up Before Games

The purpose of general warm up is very simple. General warm up includes several activities and light workouts that helps to increase the blood flow and stimulates the major working muscles. Some of the most effective and straightforward general warm-up activities are stretching, skipping, squatting, jogging and running (not too fast).

Try not to use any heavy workout equipment as it may lead to over warming up. Just ease the muscles to increase contractions. You can feel the increased body temperature when you will do these activities.

You don’t necessarily need to do all these activities. Pick just one or combine with another. Continue warming up for at least 15 minutes with few brief breaks. After warming up, drink enough water to rehydrate your body.

2. Sport Specific Warm-Ups

Certain sport needs more usage of specific muscles. Like in tennis or badminton where players use their hands muscles most of the time. Alternatively, in football, players mainly use their leg and thigh muscles.

The purpose of specific warm up to stimulate specific body muscles that are going to be used most of the time in the sport. You can use weight training will be great specific warm up for tennis players, on the other hand running is the most appropriate warm-up for a sprint runner.    

It is important to note that, you should always do some sort of general warm up before starting specific warm-up activities. Some sports like 100/200/400 meters sprints need intensive specific warm up training. Like always, keep in touch with your trainer and don’t just over do it if you have to be on the field for a long time.

3. Passive Warm-Up

Some don’t even consider passive warm up as a proper warm up. It is certainly the least effective way of warming up your body, however, for light sports, passive warm up can help to increase performance level.

Passive warm up is basically using external heating sources to warm up your body. Sauna, steam bath and jacuzzi are the most common and popular method of passive warming up. If a sauna is not available, you can use a sauna blanket with infrared technology since it works like being inside the regular sauna. Though it increases the body temperature and relaxes the muscles, it contributes little to stimulates the cardiovascular system. This type of warming up in appropriate for sports like table tennis, snooker and other light sports.

Conclusion

As an athlete you should always consider warming up as part of your actual game. It can help you to perform better in the match as well as protect you from various injuries. Remember to cool down properly after warming up and rehydrate your body with fluid.

What sports do you play? And which warm-up type you follow before your game? Leave your comments below