Warming Up Is SO Important!

Writing this blog makes me feel a bit like the pastor at my church. I feel as though I am regularly “preaching” about better fitness and coaching habits.

“Warming up” is one of my regular “Sunday morning preaching” topics. I know I have discussed this in the past, but it’s worth mentioning again.

Engaging in a low-impact exercise, such as biking, walking, an elliptical machine, a rowing machine, etc. is perhaps the most effective method of warming up.

There are many reasons why you should warm up and stretch before working out - the biggest motivator is injury prevention. A warm up and stretch help increase the flexibility of your limbs, muscles and connective tissues prior to testing them with the impact of your chosen workout. Increased elasticity simply means muscle and tissues are more relaxed and flexible. Running is just one example of an exercise that puts an enormous amount of stress on your body. Therefore, proper stretching is very important.

Your muscles will actually perform better with the appropriate forms of warm up and stretching. Lactic acid builds up in your muscles quicker without a warm up. Lactic acid is what you feel when you are doing an intense exercise and you feel a "burn." Warming up and stretching reduces lactic acid to get more out of your workout.

If you’re a busy 40-something like me, you’re more prone to injury. Take time to warm up and stretch in order to reduce the risk of injury. I typically warm up and stretch for up to 20 minutes prior to each workout and cool down for at least 10 minutes AFTER the workout.

One more tip – don’t overlook the value of stretching if you’re recovering from injury. With the guidance of some great physical therapists, stretching has really helped my recovery from some nagging injuries in the past.

And finally . . . announcing the winner of our Arbonne $100 gift certificate . . . (insert drum roll here) . . . is jillwillrun! Jillwillrun, contact me @ jghrdlicka@mchsi.com and we'll make arrangements for you to receive your gift certificate.

If you're interested in learning more about Arbonne, contact:

Nessa Doria
Arbonne Independent Consultant
Executive Area Manager
http://www.nessadoria.myarbonne.com/
nessa.doria@yahoo.com
515-633-7121 (mobile)

Thanks to all for participating!