Is Warming Up Essential for a Good Workout?
Is Warming Up Essential for a Good Workout?
We’ve all showed up to the gym really wanting to skip our warm-up and just get right into it- I can’t blame you. Warm-ups are boring, methodical, and definitely does not feel like any “gains” are happening at that time.
Exercise is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle, but it’s also important to warm-up your body properly before starting any physical activity. When we don’t warm-up before exercise, our bodies face consequences that can lead to injury and decreased performance. Warming up prevents injuries by loosening your joints, and improving blood flow to your muscles — making your muscles less likely to rip, tear, or twist in a harmful way during your workout. It is established that warming up before physical activity is important for helping athletes reach their full potential. But what exactly happens if an athlete decides not to warm up? It is widely accepted that not warming up can have a significant impact on performance, particularly in terms of energy expenditure and muscle function. When we warm-up we increase blood flow to the muscles which allows them to reach their full potential before you perform the task at hand.
Exercising without a warm-up can lead to serious injury and muscle soreness. A proper warm-up before exercise is essential for anyone looking to get the most out of their workout and stay healthy. Warming up not only prepares your body physically, but it also has psychological benefits as well. A proper warm-up will gradually increase your heart rate, which will get the heart to push out more blood and prep itself for the workout. You will start to breathe heavier which allows your muscles to take in more oxygen and be better prepped for your workout. As a result, you muscles will receive more blood/oxygen which will help you perform at your best.
A good warm-up should not last longer than 10 minutes. Focus on whatever muscles you are planning on working that day. Work on range of motion, light cardio exercises and properly activate those muscle groups.
Regardless of the workout you are about to perform, the warm-up should not take more than 10 minutes. That being said you would not finish your warm-up and go right into doing your 1 rep max. You also need to work your way up to heavier weights during your fitness routine.
An example of a warm-up you could do before a squat day would be as follows:
45 seconds of work with 15 seconds rest x 2
Cat Cows
Walking lunges
Glute Bridges
Squat Stands
Jumping jacks
Always remember a good warm-up will lead you to a great workout which means you will be that much closer to accomplishing your fitness goals!
By Brett Kirkland
FAQ
We certainly do! You can either purchase programs or book personal training sessions and be given your workout at the end of the session.
We have free parking, showers, sweat/shower towels, wifi and toiletries.
If you need to reschedule a session, no worries at all! Just give us a 24 hour heads up and you will not be charged for your workout.
Ideally, you should have some form of fuel in your system before you workout. Eating an easily digested carbohydrate an hour or so before you come to the studio ensures that you’ll have enough energy in the tank to get through your workout. Fruit is always a great option if you are concerned about getting an upset stomach. But once again everyone is different so experiment with what works best for you.
Most likely you will start to feel better before you really see the results. We always remind clients to celebrate everything along their fitness journey- whether it is lifting a heavier weight, recruiting the proper muscle groups or dropping/gaining inches. The more consistent you stay to your workout and nutrition plan the quicker you will see physical results.
There is no magic pill or diet. At the end of the day it is a very simple equation and that is calories in vs. calories out. If you would like to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you are burning. If you are looking to put on weight you want to eat more calories than you are burning.
We definitely believe we are the best gym in Edmonton. With our owner having 15 years of experience in the fitness industry, being named one of the Top 10 Trainers in Canada by Muscle Insider and having owned training studios for over 12 years there is confidence in our team. Every trainer is fully certified and extremely knowledgeable with tons of experience from all types of clientele. Don’t believe us? Come try out a free one-on-one personal training session and find out for yourself.
All of our trainers are fully certified and have the knowledge to help you reach your goals. We are so confident that you will love our team that our first training is always free. We will literally put our money with our mouth to prove to you that we are what you are looking for.
You’ve come to the right place. Zone 105 is a private personal training studio and our only goal is for you to crush yours.
That is a loaded question but weight loss comes down to a simple equation – calories in vs. calories out. If you eat less calories than you burn you should lose weight. Unfortunately sometimes the scale can be stubborn but your body composition will change. That is why we always recommend that you take measurements to also track your progress.
We are a private personal training studio located centrally in Edmonton. All of our clients in the gym can only work out when they are with their trainer so you will never have to deal with a busy, public gym.