I bet you're thinking you don't need to do a warmup because you are just going for a run, right? Wrong. If you're going from a sedentary state (sitting at your desk, driving, riding the T) to an active state, then you need to warm up. I'm here to tell you a little about it. Well, what is a warm up? A warm-up is one of the important elements of an exercise program. It safely prepares your body for the increased demands of the workout. Meaning, it gets your cardiovascular system ready to work, it lets your muscles know they're about to take on some load and it even sends signals to your brain so you can mentally prepare for the next 30-90 minutes. Having a "good" warm up routine is important to prevent injuries and when you're physically and mentally ready- you'll perform better as well. Ok, so what do I do? Keep in mind that every body is different. As a trainer, it is my duty to create a different warm up for each of my clients because some people take longer to warm up, some have different muscle tightness, etc. But, I'll explain some rule-of-thumbs that I use so you can make a routine for your own. -Make sure to incorporate the entire body, usually starting from either the feet or head and working your way up or down, respectively. -Each exercise should take about 30-60 seconds, and the whole routine could take 10-15 minutes (On Dave's very tough workout days, he takes about 25 minutes to warm up!) -Dynamic stretches are the way to go before a workout. Dynamic just means the exercises you're doing are functional and mimic the moves you'll do in the workout. They tend to get your muscles ready for the specific movements they're about to do and get your heart rate up a bit more to prepare it for the workout. -Never forget to warm up the parts of your body that give you trouble i.e. lower backs, hamstrings, even ankles! Here are some of my favorite exercises I incorporate into my workouts (from the toes up) Remember, there are so so many dynamic moves to use for your warm ups. A few other ones I like to use are:
-Runners lunge stretches -Glute bridges -Supermans -Bear crawls -Low squats -Calf raises
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If you've ever been to a TA party, you've had these delicious squares. This recipe is a member sent in one from Paul. This would be great as desert, a snack or even a little pick me up during a long walk or hike.
Give it a try! If you like the pairing of chocolate and coconut, you will love these. They can easily be converted to a dairy free bar by substituting Earth Balance or margarine for butter. You can even make it vegan by using vegan Graham Crackers and butter alternative. Ingredients: One 14 oz Can Coconut Milk ⅔ Cup Brown Sugar 2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs- 7-8 ounces of graham cracker 1 Stick Melted Butter- or Earth Balance or Margarine 2 Tablespoons Sugar- or substitute Coconut Sugar 1 ½ Cup Chocolate Chips 2 Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut
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