Proper Warm-ups and Hydration

Proper Warm-ups and Hydration

Originally Posted March 23, 2010

Working in a fitness facility I have the privilege of observing many different people and their exercise routine. Unfortunately I tend to see more people doing things wrong than right. Two critical things I feel people often de-emphasize and over look are:

skipping their warm and

not drinking enough water.

Both are critical to your fitness success, but somehow often get pushed aside.

The purpose of a warm up is to prepare the body for physical activity. A warm up increases range of motion and puts the body in a state of readiness for vigorous activity and enhances the performance of movement for required exercises. A thorough warm up will reduce risk of injury, especially when performed prior to repetitive and/or resistive training. Benefits of the general warm up include:

Increased body and muscle temperature

Increased blood flow to working muscles

Increased oxygen delivery to muscle

Warm muscles, tendons, and connective tissue to increase elasticity and prevent injury

Improved travel speed of nerve impulses

Improved speed and efficiency of muscle contractions

Gradually increases the load on the heart to prevent abnormal cardiac rhythm

A general warm up should last approximately 15 minutes. It should include 5-10 minutes of cardio activity (walking, biking etc.), some dynamic movements, and core stability training. If you are unsure of how to perform a proper warm up please contact a local fitness professional.

The importance of proper hydration cannot be stressed enough. The body cannot adapt to hydration, which impairs every physiological function. Studies show that fluid loss of even two percent of body weight will adversely affect circulatory functions and decrease performance levels. Thirst alone is a poor indicator of how much water is needed. People who exercise consistently consume inadequate amounts of water. On average an individual should drink 96 ounces of water per day. If you are participating in a fat loss program it should be even higher than that.

Effects of Dehydration Include:

Decreased performance

Decreased blood volume

Decreased sweat rate

Increased core temperature

Water retention

Increased heart rate

Sodium retention

Decreased cardio output

Decreased circulation

The affects of proper hydration cannot be stressed enough. When people ask me how much water they should be drinking, I simply say more. Whatever amount of water you are drinking you could always drink more. You will look, feel, and perform your best.

So before today’s exercise routine be sure to warm up, and drink lots of water.