Print this page

Warm-Up A warm-up period is the first part of every training session or preparation for competition. The warm-up starts slowly and gradually involves all muscles and body parts. In addition to preparing the athlete mentally, warming up also has several physiological benefits.   The importance of a warm-up prior to exercise cannot be overstressed. Warming up raises the body temperature and prepares the muscles, nervous system, tendons, ligaments and cardiovascular system for upcoming stretches and exercises. The chances of injury are greatly reduced by increasing muscle elasticity.   Warming Up: Raises body temperature Increases metabolic rate Increases heart and respiratory rate Prepares the muscles and nervous system for exercise   The warm-up is tailored for the activity to follow. The intensity and duration of the warm-up should also depend on the activity you are warming up for. The shorter the event, the more intense the warm-up. The longer the event, such as a road race, the less intense the warm-up needs to be.   Warm-ups consist of active motion leading up to more vigorous motion to elevate heart, respiratory and metabolic rates. The total warm-up period takes at least 25 minutes and immediately precedes the training or competition. The effects of a warm-up can last up to 20 minutes. If there is a delay in starting the activity beyond 20 minutes, the warm-up may lose its benefit. A warm-up period will include the following basic sequence and components.   Activity Purpose Time (minimum) Slow aerobic walk/ fast walk/ run/ easy spin Heat muscles 5 minutes Stretching Increase range of movement 10 minutes Event specific Drills Coordination preparation for training/competition 10 minutes     Aerobic Warm-Up   The aerobic warm-up includes activities such as brisk walking, light jogging, walking while doing arm circles, jumping jacks, cycling on a stationary trainer or easy cycling.   Walking Walking is the first exercise of an athlete’s routine. Athletes begin warming the muscles by walking at a gradually increasing pace for 5 minutes. This circulates the blood through all the muscles, thus providing them greater flexibility for stretching. The sole objective of the warm-up is to circulate the blood and warm the muscles in preparation for more strenuous activity.   Cycling Cycling is the next exercise in an athlete’s routine. Athletes begin warming the muscles by cycling without getting out of breath for 5-10 minutes. This circulates the blood through all the muscles, thus providing them greater flexibility for stretching. The bike ride starts out slowly, and then gradually increases in speed; however, the athlete never reaches even 50 percent of maximum effort by the end of the ride. Remember, the sole objective of this phase of the warm-up is circulating the blood and warming the bike-specific muscles in preparation for more strenuous activity. Using a stationary trainer is an efficient way to warm up.   If the athlete is preparing for a short-distance time trial or a sprint, then he/she should do several anaerobic “jumps” on the bike prior to the event. The athlete should be out of breath and perspiring after the final stages of warm-up. If not properly prepared for the event, the athlete may find that he/she is not able to adapt to the physical requirements of the exertion of the event. Pre-stressing the body can be critical to performance. The issue for you as a coach is knowing what is too much preparation and what is too little.         Stretching   Stretching is one of the most critical parts of the warm-up and an athlete’s performance. A more flexible muscle is a stronger and healthier muscle. A stronger and healthier muscle responds better to exercise and activities and helps prevent injury. Please refer to the Stretching section, below, for more in-depth information.     Event Specific Drills   Drills are segments of the sport activity that, when separate and focused upon, allow the athlete to perfect technique. Incorporating drills in the warm-up 1) allows the athlete to work on specific muscle groups recruited for the activity at a lower intensity level and 2) allows the athlete to be fresh when completing the tasks by removing obstacles such as fatigue (physical and mental), which will create a greater environment for improvement.   Progressions of learning start at a low ability level, advance to an intermediate level, and finally, reach a high ability level. Encourage each athlete to advance to the highest possible level. Drills can be combined with warm-up and lead into specific skill development.   Skills are taught and reinforced through repetition of a small segment of the skill to be performed. Many times, the actions are exaggerated in order to strengthen the muscles that perform the skill. Each coaching session should take the athlete through the entire progression so that he/she is exposed to all of the skills that make up an event.

Next Page