Warm Ups
Every proper workout must start with a proper warm up.
Warming up, as the name suggests, is pretty straightforward:
It is basically the warming up of the body and mind (yes, mind)
in preparation for the upcoming activity.
The importance of warming up cannot be overlooked as it boosts performance and significantly reduces the risk of injury.
A proper warm up should follow certain guidelines or they might be detrimental.
A Warm up should always be Dynamic not static.
Be as Specific as possible to the upcoming activity.
For instance, the simplest and most effective way to warm up for a run would be to start running at a slower than usual pace and gradually bring it up to speed.
You can also include mobility work such as lunges, which targets the muscles involved in running to further facilitate the warm up.
Common Mistakes
Very often, you will see people doing a static stretch like a quad stretch, before an activity. This is a common mistake.
Static stretches before an activity can lead to increased chance of injury. The body is “cold and stiff” and not ready for a sudden increase in activity.
Static stretches are best saved for post activity to facilitate recovery.