How to warm up before a workout or game?

The general consensus is that warm-ups should be a normal practice before exercise and that stretching is not recommended before a sports competition.

There is evidence that warm-ups increase body temperature, prepare muscles for action and cause temporary neurological adaptations.

Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that pre-exercise warm-ups actually help prevent injury. However, many studies have shown that athletes' performance improves with a warm-up, especially for explosive movements.

So what should we do to warm up and how long should these warm-ups last?

1) Warm-up exercises can be simple and unspectacular. Simply, you replicate the exercises you will perform after the warm-up, but at low intensity. That is, for a squat, you warm up with squats. For benching, you warm up with lighter benching. It's very simple!

2) For sports, you warm up by practicing the movements you will do during the game.

3) Warm-ups should ideally last between 10-15 minutes depending on the evidence.

4) Avoid long resting times after heating (less than 15 mins)

5) If the time between warm-up and activity exceeds 15-20 minutes, warm up again a few minutes before the exercise/game.

That's it! Keep it simple, but effective!

Good performance!

Physio Summum Ste-Marthe

Reference: PMID: 29968230, PMID: 19996770, PMID: 26400696