Inside the EVP: Isle of Palms
by Todd Laux MS, ACSM HFI, NASM PES
When warming up whether it’s for a match or for your conditioning program, you should always stretch. The first mistake that is made is that stretching alone is the warm up. This is far from the truth, stretching should be merely a portion of your warm up. In order for the warm up to be effective it must be safe and performed correctly. The warm up should consist of roughly 4 phases.
Initial warm up
In the initial warm up you are trying to get the blood pumping, the heart rate up, body or muscle temperature up and increase your respiratory rate. This phase can last anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
Static Stretching
The second phase of the warm up consists of static stretching which is the stretching most of us are familiar with. Static stretching consists of stretching a muscle to a point of tension and then holding it for 15-20 seconds. This phase should last about 5-12 minutes as well.
Specific warm up
The third phase focuses on performing sports specific drills or exercises to prepare the athlete for the sport or training that they are about to engage in. Examples here would be: carioca, shuffle from court side to court side, standing jump exercises etc. This phase can last about 10-15 minutes as these will be the exercises that really get your body ready to go.
Dynamic Stretching
Exercises in this last phase of the warm up include functional and active flexibility. In this phase the stretching takes the muscles and the joints through a full range of motion. Soft bounces or swinging motions are used to take these areas past their normal range of motion. Examples of dynamic stretches are: leg swings, scorpions, iron crosses.
Please note; dynamic stretching carries with it a high risk of injury if used incorrectly. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and is really only suited for professional, well trained, highly conditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level of general flexibility has been established.
The overall goal of the warm up is to prepare your body physically as well as mentally for the sport or event you are about to engage in. Give your self plenty of time for the warm-up and don’t try to rush through things. Follow each phase in order to ensure a safe and effective warm up. An effective warm up can prepare the body for competition, allow the body to excel and hopefully prevent injuries. Remember to always consult your physician before starting any exercise routine or sporting event and always have past injuries evaluated.