4.1 - Warming Up (Stretching)
Description
This article is from the Stretching FAQ, by Brad Appleton Brad_Appleton@ivhs.mot.com with numerous contributions by others.
4.1 - Warming Up (Stretching)
Stretching is *not* warming up! It is, however, a very important part of
warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of "warming up"
(i.e., raising your core body temperature). A proper warm-up should raise
your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 degrees
Fahrenheit) and is divided into three phases:
1. general warm-up
2. stretching
3. sport-specific activity
It is very important that you perform the general warm-up *before* you
stretch. It is *not* a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles
are warm (something which the general warm-up accomplishes).
Warming up can do more than just loosen stiff muscles; when done properly,
it can actually improve performance. On the other hand, an improper
warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk of injury
from engaging in athletic activities.
It is important to note that active stretches and isometric stretches
should *not* be part of your warm-up because they are often
counterproductive. The goals of the warm-up are (according to Kurz): "an
increased awareness, improved coordination, improved elasticity and
contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory and
cardiovascular systems." Active stretches and isometric stretches do not
help achieve these goals because they are likely to cause the stretched
muscles to be too tired to properly perform the athletic activity for which
you are preparing your body.
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