The Importance of Warm Up Exercises

Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore it is recommended that prior to undertaking manual handling tasking you undertake a few warm up exercises just as you do when you intend exercising at the gym. A brisk walk to work would do just as well.

Take a look at the video clip for an example of warm up exercises.

The benefit of warm up is that your performance may be improved. An appropriate warm up should result in:

Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles

Reduction in muscle stiffness

Greater economy of movement of warmed muscles

Increased oxygen use by warmed muscles because haemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures

Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity

Increased blood flow through active tissues increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures

Allows the heart rate to reach a workable rate for beginning activity.

Click here to view the exercises handout which includes Low Back Program Exercises and the 7 Way Stretch

The benefit of warm up is that your performance may be improved. An appropriate warm up should result in:

Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles

Reduction in muscle stiffness

Greater economy of movement of warmed muscles

Increased oxygen use by warmed muscles because haemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures

Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity

Increased blood flow through active tissues increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures

Allows the heart rate to reach a workable rate for beginning activity.

Click here to view the exercises handout which includes Low Back Program Exercises and the 7 Way Stretch