Why Warming Up Before Your Workout Is More Important Than You Think

When we workout, we promote and boost various other functions inside the body. Our heart rate, lung capacity, and many other bodily functions are influenced by us working out. Hence, it is important to do it correctly. In addition to this, many other factors influence our workout performance. Some of these are our diet, workout regime, etc. A very important factor often ignored is warming up. Warming up makes a significant difference to our performance, post-workout recovery, and other factors. A warm-up is essentially a low-pace and low-impact workout and stretching practice. It helps our body prepare for the workout.

Here's why you need to practice warm-up exercises before you start your workout:

Reduces soreness 

Our bodies can feel sore post-workout. Soreness may be worse if we perform high-intensity workouts or carry heavy weights. This is due to extensive stretching of the muscles. A 10-minute warm-up routine can help your body's muscles stretch gradually and avoid causing shock to your muscles. Better flexibility in the muscles reduces soreness.

Reduces risk of injuries 

Lack of flexibility in the muscles can cause sprains and muscle pulls. They can be very painful and might force you to refrain from physical activities altogether. Warm-up exercises before working out prepare your body for the movement and strain it will have to endure during the workout. Warm-up exercises have been proven to promote muscle elasticity.

Prepares the body for the workout

When we perform any sort of physical activity, our body heats up and our heart rate increases. Both of which help us lose fat and gain muscles. However, practicing a high-intensity workout without a warm-up can cause an instant spike in the heart rate and cause an energy crash. Hence, you are advised to perform low-intensity stretches and exercises to promote a gradual increase in your heart rate and temperature. This will help prepare your body for the actual workout. 

Increases oxygen intake

When we indulge in a small warm-up before working out, it promotes a gradual increase in our heart rate. The increase in heart rate increases the body's oxygen intake. This not only boosts weight loss and muscle gain but also makes working out easier. If you don't perform a warm-up, it may cause an imbalance between your body's oxygen intake and the amount of oxygen the body requires. This may be one of the reasons behind feeling breathless during high-intensity workouts.

Boosts overall workout performance

When you perform a warm-up, the body better adjusts to a high-intensity high-pace workout. This gives your body and mind to prepare for the actual workout. The gradual increase in heart rate from the warm-up betters your performance altogether. This happens because your body increases its oxygen intake long before it requires oxygen. 

In conclusion, we highly encourage you to perform a warm-up before your workout. This helps the body and mind better prepare and perform. It also reduces your chances of feeling burned-out during or post-workout. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.