The Importance of Warming up before a workout

When you get to the gym you are usually keen to get into your workout and it can be tempting to skip your warmup. However, it is very important to do a warm-up before any workout session – whether it be cardio, weights training, pilates, or yoga. You don’t need to spend a lot of time warming up - usually a 5 to 10 minute warm-up routine will be all that is required to get your body ready for a workout. Spending a little time preparing your body for exercise will reduce stress on your heart and other muscles.

Before getting started with your warm-up is the perfect time to take a pre-workout supplement. Drinking a quality pre-workout supplement will help you to get the most out of your workout. It will give you more energy to workout, increase your workout performance, stimulate your metabolism for faster weight loss, improve your concentration and focus, and help you to recover after your workout is over.

A warm-up before your workout will:

• Gradually increase your heart rate, helping avoid a rapid increase in your blood pressure

• Increase blood flow to your muscles, helping them to prepare for the workout to come

• Reduce the likelihood of soft tissue injury

• Lubricate your joints for a greater range of motion

• Help you to prepare mentally for your workout

• Enhance your workout performance

A proper warm-up will gradually raise your heart rate and get your muscles primed for your workout. You should aim to break out in a light sweat. The more intense your workout, the longer your warm-up should be. An effective warm-up routine can be to do a lower intensity version of the exercise you are going to do. If you plan on doing a run, a 5 to 10 minute light jog would be a good warm-up as you are warming up the muscles used in the run. A warm-up should be done prior to stretching.