BY TOM HOLLAND

Professional athletes warm up for a reason and you should too! Research has shown that warming up before exercise can help performance as well as decrease the chance of injury. This holds true for both resistance training as well as cardiovascular exercise. The key is to engage in low-level dynamic movements, gradually increasing the blood flow to the muscles you will be using, as well as increasing your core body temperature.

These movements should be relatively simple and the warm-up doesn't need to be long to be effective. Whether you are playing a recreational sport like tennis or basketball, or getting ready to lift weights, spending just a few minutes getting your body ready through a simple warm-up routine is a smart idea.

Not sure what to do? Here is an example:

This warm-up routine includes four different low-level dynamic movements each done for 30 seconds:

  1. Running in place
  2. Jumping Jacks
  3. Skaters
  4. High Knees

Do this cardio warm up right before your exercise routine or activity to be ready to go!

Written by Gymsportz Team

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