Why pre-warm up your body?
Warming up before stretching helps prepare muscle fibers and ligament tissues to absorb stress. Local structures are qualitatively relaxed and become more elastic. The combination of these points reduces the risk of injury.
During pre-warming before stretching, the splits have a tonic effect on the blood vessels. Accordingly, the negative load on the heart is noticeably reduced. Tissues that are subjected to stress during exercise are better saturated with oxygen. The level of endurance increases during active training.
Warming up before stretching seems to be a good method of mental preparation. Such actions make it possible to mentally tune in to the perception of upcoming loads. As a result, there is an increased focus on maintaining the correct technique for performing stretching exercises.
Where to start training: warm-up and stretching
November 17, 2009
In everyday life, some of our muscles are usually inactive. The body spends energy and nutrients very sparingly on things that are not included in the work. Therefore, rested muscles require warming up.
In everyday life, some of our muscles are usually inactive. The body spends energy and nutrients very sparingly on things that are not included in the work.
Therefore, for resting muscles to fully engage in work, it takes some time and a special mode of their work. Athletes call it a warm-up or warm-up
. Unheated muscles and ligaments are easily injured, they tire faster and take longer to recover.
Warm-up allows you to get into working condition
those muscle groups that will have to work hard in the near future. The simplest example of a warm-up is felt every morning immediately after waking up. Almost involuntary stretching prepares the body to move into a vertical position, straightening and slightly warming up the muscles of the arms and legs and straightening the spine. And it’s much easier for a stretched person to get up.
How to stretch correctly
There are many types of stretching described in popular literature.
Bodybuilders use one type, figure skaters use another, and gymnasts use a completely different type. But don't get confused - we'll explain how to stretch correctly. If the body warms itself up before such a simple event as getting up in the morning, then warming up before serious physical activity should not be neglected. Just 10-15 minutes will not only allow you to train more productively, but also protect yourself from injury.
What is the warm-up like?
Warm-up is light aerobic exercise
, helping to prepare not only the necessary muscle groups, but also the circulatory system for intense work. Therefore, the warm-up begins with exercises that improve blood circulation - walking, running. Then gradually small, and then large, muscle groups are involved in the work.
What does warm-up do?
First of all, a warm-up is really a warm-up
.
By increasing metabolism, the temperature in muscles and joints increases, making them more elastic and less susceptible to injury. Blood flow
increases , and with it the amount of nutrients and oxygen.
This will allow the muscles to work longer and more efficiently, which means fatigue will come a little later during training. And a well-fed muscle is capable of sharper contractions, and, therefore, less prone to injury
.
A signal that the body has warmed up
, there will be slight sweating, redness of the skin, warmth in the muscles and a slight increase in heart rate.
What to do with a “warm” body?
After warming up, move on to stretching
. Each person has his own reserve of flexibility - the amplitude through which his joints and ligaments can move following the muscles. In everyday life, the extreme positions of this amplitude are practically not used, and the joints gradually get used to inactivity, and the elasticity of the ligaments decreases.
Stretching allows you to gradually restore lost elasticity to joints and ligaments, as well as protect them
from possible injuries during training. In addition, while stretching, the muscles continue to work and train. Gradual, smooth stretching of muscle fibers helps not only to increase their elasticity, but also to cope with the forced imbalance in muscle development.
For example, many people use their flexor muscles more often than their extensors. Stretching helps bring undeveloped muscles
and protect them from injury. Therefore, you need to pay attention to all joints and large muscles of the body.
There are different types of stretches, but all types must be done slowly and carefully.
, gradually increasing the amplitude and without making sudden movements. Muscles and ligaments should respond with tension, but in no case with pain. Experts recommend stretching each muscle for no more than 15 seconds, gradually increasing the duration of the stretch.
Cool down or cool down
The reduction in load after training should not end abruptly. The flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles must be gradually stopped and redirected back
– to the brain and internal organs. But this must be done gradually, otherwise the breakdown products of nutrients will accumulate in the muscles, and the blood will rush sharply to the internal organs and the brain.
In addition, the muscles need to cool down after training, and the heart needs to restore its normal rhythm. Therefore, calming exercises after training are somewhat reminiscent of warming up, only in reverse order.
. First, the load on the muscles decreases, after which the pulse, breathing and body temperature gradually return to normal. In 10-15 minutes, the body will get rid of the consequences of serious stress and will be able to move on to calm work.
Tags:
- Workout
- Home workouts
- Warm-up
- Stretching
2 comments • To leave a comment you must be an authorized user
- Liliana54 Is it possible to see the same thing in the video so that I can start practicing and, while looking at the screen, follow all these recommendations. I want to learn how to do warm-up and exercises correctly.
- Ephtanasia Yes, stretching is only for warming up. But now there is a technique where you stretch exclusively on cold muscles...
First steps
When starting to warm up before stretching, first perform a set of active body movements while maintaining high intensity. We are talking about running in place, rotating the lower limbs over a wide amplitude, raising the knees to chest level. It is also useful to jump rope for a few minutes. Finish with a series of deep squats. The main task here is to create a feeling of slight heat in the extremities. The presence of an effect indicates a good warming up of the muscles, which allows you to move on to more complex exercises.
How to pump up your abs - the basic technique for all exercises.
Guys, I won’t burden you with a small pile of technical details of execution, I’ll try to present everything in an accessible language, just the essentials that you need to know when performing a few simple exercises in order to achieve maximum results without injury and in a short period of time.
There are only a few basic rules when performing abdominal exercises.
1. Be sure to warm up before training
Many guys don’t take the time to warm up their abdominal muscles; some believe that they will warm up while doing the exercise.
And who actually does a couple of hundred sit-ups before going to bed and thinks that they have accomplished a feat? I don’t deny that a couple of hundred before bed is better than doing nothing at all, but still, it’s not the same, the effect is minimal.
To achieve the best results, it is necessary to warm the body well. To do this, you need the following approximate warm-up:
- Raises your body temperature. Warm muscles are everything; due to warming up, they become more flexible and allow you to overcome heavy loads.
- Fills muscles with blood.
— Helps to distract from everything extraneous and focus on training the abdominal muscles.
Spend warm-up time not just five minutes of formal time, but active 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can go for a run with your dog or play catch with the children. Running in place is also an effective exercise.
2. Use full range of motion
In order to get the maximum benefit from the exercises performed, they must be performed at maximum amplitude. Let’s say that when you lift your torso while lying down, try to touch your chest to your thigh. And if you just move your head up and down, this may not even be considered an exercise...
3. Control the speed of each repetition carefully.
Do the lifting and lowering smoothly and evenly, slaps when lowering provide only half of the exercise, don’t deceive yourself, do everything efficiently!
4. Correct breathing
It is forbidden to hold your breath while performing the exercise. Almost all beginners hold their breath - this is NOT CORRECT!
The ideal way to breathe correctly during exercise: at the top of the exercise, with each repetition, exhale through your mouth. As soon as you begin to raise your torso, immediately begin to exhale, and when you lower down to the starting position, inhale. Inhalation is done through the nose.
There are no strict limits on breathing, the basis is not to hold your breath, that’s all!
5. As I have already written, and will continue to write, do all exercises with quality, not quantity.
How to pump up perfect abs - the best indicator is quality.
When performed correctly, you should feel your abdominal muscles working with each repetition, and tension should be felt in both the positive and negative areas of the exercise. If you stop feeling your muscles, quit this exercise and move on to the next one.
How to pump up your abs – the “birch tree” exercise.
We take the starting position: Lie on your back, stretch your arms along your body, and point your palms down to the floor - they serve as support. Raise your slightly bent legs at a right angle. Do not lift your head off the floor, your neck is completely relaxed.
Execution technique.
Take the correct starting position. Then we begin to lift the pelvis off the floor, simultaneously with the legs, the lifting occurs due to the lower abs. While lifting, rotate your pelvis to the right and stay in this position for one second.
The next stage is a smooth and slow lowering of the pelvis to the starting position. When you feel that your pelvis has touched the floor, repeat the exercise with your pelvis turning to the left. Two raises with two turnarounds is one repetition.
Technical nuances:
— If you started the first training session with the pelvis turned to the right side, then for the next session you need to change it, that is, start the exercise with the pelvis turned to the left side.
— At the highest point, don’t forget to pause.
— During the exercise, we do not use our legs to raise the pelvis. Perform the exercise slowly, efficiently and accurately.
“We also don’t help raise or lower the pelvis with our hands; they are only needed to maintain balance.
Raising straight legs and pelvis in a lying position.
Starting position: This exercise is a little similar to the previous one. We lie on our backs, place our arms along the body, palms facing down (they act as a support), raise our slightly bent legs and bring them to a right angle. At the same time, relax your neck.
Execution technique.
Using the lower abs, we lift the pelvis off the floor and lift it up, at the top point we linger for a few seconds. This is followed by a slow, smooth and careful lowering of the pelvis and return to the starting position. After your pelvis touches the floor, begin a new repetition.
Technical nuances:
— Raising the pelvis occurs only due to the lower press, do not push it out with your feet.
— Don’t use your hands either, they are only needed to maintain balance.
— At the highest point, don’t forget to pause, and the longer it is, the more the lower abs are worked.
Raising the legs in a bent position while lying down.
Starting position: Lie on your back, relax your neck, then place both hands behind your head and place them under it. Raise your legs and bend them at the knee joint until a right angle is formed, that is, so that your shins are parallel to the floor and your thighs are perpendicular to it.
Technique:
Using the abdominal press, we pull the pelvis up and move it forward. This is followed by a slow lowering of the pelvis and returning it to its original position. Repeat 12 times – initial week.
Technical nuances:
- Make sure that the work occurs in the abdominal region. Otherwise, how to pump up your abs, if you use additional muscles and jerks, it will be ineffective...
- Also watch the position of your shins, they should not fall. Lower your pelvis slowly so that at the moment of contact with the floor, you do not hit it.
— The trick of this exercise is that your abdominal muscles must be constantly tense.
— The hands do not take part, but only control the balance. The neck should be relaxed at all times; do not lift it to look at your legs.
Raising the torso to the side from a lying position
Starting position: Lie on your back, bend your right leg at the knee joint and place your left leg on it, so that your shin is placed on your left knee. Place your right hand behind your head and move your elbow to the side. Place your left hand on your stomach at the waist.
Technique:
We strain the oblique abdominal muscles and raise our right shoulder and bend towards our left knee. This is followed by returning the shoulder to its original position. Then repeat again. Having done the required amount in one direction, change the position and do the same amount in the other.
Technical nuances:
— While performing the exercise, make sure that the torso bends correctly, it should move towards the knee. The knee should be motionless and should not be pulled towards the shoulder.
— Try to feel how the oblique muscles come into tension; the upper abs will also feel the tension.
— Perform the exercise smoothly and slowly, without any jerks or accelerations
Raising your torso to your bent legs while lying on your side.
Starting position: We all also lie on our backs, bend our legs at the knees and place them to the left. Place your hands behind your head and keep your neck relaxed.
Technique:
We begin to perform the exercise using the right oblique abdominal muscles, lift the shoulder blades off the floor and raise the body to the pelvis, hold for a second at the top point. Then smoothly lower yourself to the starting position, after your shoulder blades touch the floor, repeat the exercise the required number of times. After completing sets on one side, cross your legs to the right side and do the same number of repetitions.
Technical nuances:
— Take a comfortable position so that your upper leg does not go to the side.
- Try to keep your shoulders parallel to the floor.
- You should feel tension in both the rectus muscle and the oblique muscles of the pumped side.
- You may get tired during this exercise, but don’t relax, make sure you raise your shoulders evenly.
Lifting the torso to the side with outstretched arms while lying down
Starting position: Lie on your back, bend your knees and extend your arms towards your legs.
Technique:
Using your abdominal muscles, lift your torso up and to the side, turning your right shoulder toward your left knee, until your hands touch the outside of your left knee.
To get a better idea, imagine that you want to catch a thrown ball. At the top point, pause for a second. Then slowly return to the starting position. Then start repeating, only turn in the other direction. Two turns - one repetition.
Technical nuances:
— The torso moves diagonally, so the abdominal tension should not be the same as during straight lifts or when lifting to the side with bent knees.
- You may feel some tension in the neck area, if this gives you discomfort, you can place one hand behind your head.
Lifting the upper torso, with arms extended, lying down (legs at right angles)
Starting position: We lay on our backs, raise our slightly bent legs until a right angle is formed, our arms are also raised up, and our neck is relaxed.
Technique:
Due to the tension of the upper abs, we lift the chest towards the pelvis, at the same moment lift the shoulder blades off the floor and try to reach the toes with your fingers. At the top point, take a short break.
Then slowly lower yourself to the starting position. As soon as you feel your shoulder blades touch the floor, begin repeating the exercise.
Technical nuances:
— At the initial stage, you may not be able to reach your toes with your fingers, then try to reach as far as possible. After some time, you will begin to perform the full range of motion.
— You may also have difficulty keeping your legs perpendicular. If it’s really difficult for you, then to make the exercise easier, you can lean your feet against the wall. But it is recommended to do it without anyone's help.
- Also, if you wish, diversify the exercise by trying to reach with both hands first one sock, then the other - this will allow you to use both the upper muscles and the obliques. But at the same time it is necessary to perform an equal amount in both directions.
Lying upper torso raise (legs at right angles)
Starting position: Lie on your back, bend your legs slightly and raise them perpendicular to the floor. Place your hands behind your head and relax your neck.
Technique:
The upper section of the press works, due to it we lift the shoulder blades off the floor and pull the chest towards the pelvis. There is no need to make a fold completely; this requires a good stretch. Raise your chest as high as possible.
At the top, pause for a second, then slowly lower to the starting position. After your shoulder blades touch the floor, repeat the exercise. Technical nuances:
- Pay attention to your legs with each repetition.
- Also, if it is difficult for you to keep your legs perpendicular to the floor, the exercise can be performed near the wall, resting your legs on it. This makes it easier to perform the exercise, which is not a gud, so try to do it without the help of a wall.
Lying upper torso raise (legs tucked up)
Starting position: Lie on your back, spread your bent knees as far as possible, something like a butterfly. Place your hands behind your head and relax your neck.
Technique:
The upper press works, it lifts the torso and pulls the chest towards the pelvis, while simultaneously lifting the shoulder blades off the floor. At the top, stop for a few seconds, then slowly lower to the starting position. After your shoulder blades touch the floor, repeat the exercise.
Technical nuances:
- Do not press your chin to your chest, make sure that the distance is equal to your fist. Pressing the chin to the chest occurs due to fatigue. To provide distance, focus your gaze on the ceiling.
- This is a great exercise to get your abdominal muscles working. You can load these muscles as much as possible by fixing the body in the upper position for a longer time from 2 to 5 seconds.
Exercise "Butterfly"
After completing the above set of actions, proceed to the next exercise. Take a sitting position on a gymnastics mat. Bend your legs in front of you, placing your feet together and your knees in opposite directions. Your shins should lightly touch the floor surface. Try to keep your back straight. Begin to gently swing your lower limbs up and down, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings. Move your knees up and down for several minutes.
Warming up before stretching according to the marked scheme makes it possible to thoroughly relax the muscles and ligaments in the groin area. It is this area that is most often subject to injury if an athlete neglects to prepare the muscles to accept loads before performing the splits.
Warm-up before training: what is it for?
95% of visitors to gyms and fitness rooms, having barely had time to change clothes, begin what they consider to be the most effective part of the workout: working with equipment and using exercise machines. Don't repeat their mistake! People who skip pre-workout warm-up sometimes don't even realize how important it serves. This independent set of special exercises mobilizes the body before upcoming loads, warms up the muscles and carefully prepares the athlete’s ligamentous-articular system.
Warm-up performs the following tasks:
- toning the cardiovascular system in order to quickly fill the muscles involved in exercise;
- stretching muscles and tendons to avoid injury
- smooth increase in heart rate up to 100 beats per minute
- creating an adequate mood for the upcoming workout
Simply put, the result of the workout and the absence of undesirable consequences, such as muscle pain after physical activity and injury, largely depend on the warm-up.
Now that we have understood the need for a pre-workout warm-up, let's move on to doing it correctly to achieve the best results.
Lunges forward
How to warm up your muscles before stretching? Achieving the desired result will allow you to move into a runner's position at the start. Take a vertical body position. Smoothly take a wide step with your right foot in the frontal direction, placing your foot firmly on the floor. Move your left limb to your toes. Place your palms in front of you at the level of your feet extended forward. The thigh of the right leg should be parallel to the floor. Keeping your back straight, slowly pull the toe of your left foot back. Feel the stretch in the back of your thigh. Then stand up and lunge forward again, alternating your lower limbs.
Body tilts in a sitting position
Sit comfortably on the gymnastics mat. Keep your back straight. Bring your lower limbs together and extend them in front of you. Avoid bending your legs at the knees. From this position, gently tilt your body forward. Perform a high-quality deflection in the lumbar region. Stretch your head in the direction of your feet. Straighten your arms and extend them in the frontal direction, parallel to the floor. Perform the exercise every time you plan to stretch your body. The ultimate goal of the training is to assume a position where the stomach and head lie freely on straight legs.
Useful tips
To achieve a good warm-up of the muscles before stretching, use the following tips:
- Try to study in the evening. After moderate physical activity throughout the day, the muscles respond to exercise much better. Accordingly, the training is more effective.
- Warm up your muscles in comfortable clothing that provides increased comfort and does not restrict movement. Shoes are optional. It is better to train barefoot, placing a gymnastic mat on the floor.
- A good alternative to performing a set of exercises to warm up the muscles is taking a bath. Sit in warm water before your planned stretch for 15-20 minutes. Then dry your body thoroughly with a towel, put on sportswear and proceed directly to training.
Types of stretches by muscle part
You already understand the theory of stretching and warming up muscles, it's time to start training . What should such a stretch ? It all depends on which group you decide to train. However, it is optimal to focus on stretching the entire body. [10] [11] [12]
Full body stretch
The benefit of full body stretching is that no matter what kind of workout you are doing, every muscle will be properly stretched . The basics are to start from the head and gradually move to the feet , without forgetting any muscle part.
You can also watch an example of proper stretching of the whole body before training in the video:
