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Warm-Up
It's a given that we need to warm-up before we exercise. The warming-up process prepares us mentally and physically for the task ahead. Athletes usually prepare for competition by raising their body temperature with 5-15 minutes of gentle cardiovascular (CV) work and then stretching off. The current theory about warming-up is that we should use a dynamic, focused routine, specifically tailored to our chosen sport. The various drills we employ need to warm up our muscles specifically for the movements that will be required of them in the activity to follow. But preparing these areas for dynamic activity does not require lengthy periods of passive stretching.
This is in complete contrast to the 'traditional' warming-up method which often consisted of jogging a couple of laps to get really warm, and then sitting and chatting for the next half an hour while supposedly stretching. The usual result of this approach was that when the session started the athlete was cold both physically and mentally.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP ROUTINE
The following is an example of a dynamic warm-up routine, (actual warm-up routines should be designed for the specific sport to be played.)
First, raise your body temperature with 5-10 minutes of gentle CV work by either slow-paced running or by slow-paced team drills.
Next progress on to dynamic stretches. Initially all dynamic stretches must be performed in a slow and controlled manner, increasing speed only when you become more proficient. Aim to perform each exercise over 10-15m for 2-3 sets.
DYNAMIC STRETCHES:
Forward Walking Lunge
1. With right foot, take a large step forward.
2. Bend both knees into 90degree angles (your right knee should be aligned directly over your right ankle; your left knee should be aligned directly under the left hip).
3. Torso is kept upright and left knee almost touches the ground.
4. Push off the left foot to step forward with the left foot.
5. Repeat above sequence leading with left foot.
Dynamic Glut Stretch
1-4. See Forward Walking Lunge.
5. As you push off the left foot, bring left knee up towards chest as far as possible.
6. As you raise the knee, the torso must remain upright & the entire back must remain straight (do not round out low back).
7. With your hands, gently pull your knee in a little further towards your chest.
8. Hold this high knee position for a second or two, then step forward into lunge again.
Dynamic Quad Stretch
1-4. See Forward Walking Lunge.
5. As you push off the left foot, bring left heel up towards gluts as far as possible.
6. As you raise the heel, the torso and entire back must remain completely straight (do not arch low back).
7. With your hands, gently pull your heel in a little further towards your gluts.
8. Hold this position for a second or two, then step forward & repeat.
Dynamic Hamstring Stretch
1-4. See Forward Walking Lunge.
5. As you push off the left foot, straighten left leg and raise it as high as you can in front of you.
6. The leg, torso, and entire back must remain completely straight (do not round out low back or bend knee).
7. Hold this position for a second or two, then step forward & repeat.
Dynamic Groin Stretch
1-4. See Forward Walking Lunge.
5. As you push off the left foot, bring left knee up towards right shoulder.
6. Rotate knee from right shoulder out to the side (at completion of rotation, knee will point directly out to the left side).
7. As you rotate the knee, the torso and entire back must remain completely straight (do not round out low back). Also, the hips must remain facing straight forward during entire rotation.
8. Step forward & repeat.
Lower Leg Calf Raises
1. Start with your body in a push-up position, with your feet side by side.
Support your weight with your hands and feet.
2. Start stretching your calves by pushing one heel towards the ground then onto the ball of the foot and then back again.
3. Alternate between legs.
Upper Body Trunk Rotation
1. Stand with the back straight and knees slightly bent.
2. Start swinging your body at waist height - you should feel this mostly in your lower back.
3. Move your arms higher to around shoulder height to feel a stretch through the middle back.
4. Now raise your arms to above your head to feel the stretch higher in the back.
5. If you find any tight areas do extra repetitions without forcing the movement. In this exercise you should concentrate more on gradually increasing the range of movement rather than the speed of movement.
Bent Over Upper Body Rotation
1. Bend at the hips so that your lower back still keeps its natural inward curve - you might need to bend your knees a little.
2. Rotate the trunk and arms to reach towards the opposite toe while bending that leg.
3. Alternate sides.
4. Reach as low as your flexibility allows - it's not necessary to touch the toes if you can't reach that low.
Arm Circles
1. Stand with the back straight and knees slightly bent.
2. Swing both your arms around in circles starting with small circles progressing towards larger ones.
3. Circles should be done both forwards and backwards.
4. If you find tightness in an area, spend more time working on that area to loosen it up.
Heart Rate
The final part of the warm-up should increase the athlete's heart rate to the levels it will reach during competition while also practicing the skills that are required for that particular sport. This is commonly done by running through sport specific and position specific drills.
The intensity and duration of a warm up depends on the level of exercise to be performed, although 15 - 30 minutes is generally recommended. The best guideline for the intensity of the warm-up is to produce some mild sweating without fatigue. The effect of warm-up lasts approximately 30 minutes so it is important not to warm-up too early.
Cool-Down
The cool-down (also known as warm-down, strangely enough!) is a period of milder activity immediately following the conclusion of intense exercise. It is thought to reduce the degree of muscle fatigue, stiffness and soreness caused by the production of lactic acid from maximal or near maximal exertion.
The cool down consists of two phases:
- Sports specific activity
- Static stretches
The length of cool down generally varies with the level of the participant's activity, but should start with 5-15 minutes of sports specific activity. This should involve some of the drills included in the warm up, but at a much slower pace. The sports specific activity should immediately be followed by gentle stretching of the muscles used in training or competition.
A cool down is particularly beneficial when strenuous activity needs to be performed later the same day or the next day, such as occurs in tournament situations.
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