Warming up is very important to do before any strenuous activity including Bodybuilding. Whether it is playing a sport or lifting weights, you have to warm up properly so you will not cause any injuries. By loosening up the joints and promoting more circulation to the body, you will be able to undergo more stress without an altercation. A lot of people even do warm up exercises before they stretch. Warming up implies that you increasing your heart rate a little bit, but not so much to the point of the actually activity.

A good way to warm up is to workout the core. This will activate the blood flow and start to get oxygen and nutrients to the other muscles.

Another great way to warm up before lifting weights is to do the exercise with very light weights. This will activate the muscles and prepare them for the heavy weights that is about to follow. Make sure you lift in the same way as the actual exercise. This light weight warm up will stretch and loosen up the muscles.

This principle works for all other aspects too. Like for instance, if you wanted to go running, a light jog before the run would get the leg muscles warmed up and the blood starting to flow.

There are four different stages to the correct warm up…

• General Warm Up
• Static Stretching
• Sport Specific Warm Up
• Dynamic Stretching

General Warm Up

The first stage is the general warm up. This stage consist of a light cardio workout. It might be walking, swimming or biking. Either way, make sure it is light and do not put your all into it.

Static Stretching

The second stage is static stretching. This is where the major muscles are stretched under tension. This is a safe mode of stretching and is very important for the warm up.

Sport Specific Warm Up

The third stage is sport specific warm up. This is a more strenuous form of warming up and when the first two stages are done right, this will really get you prepared for the activity. At this stage you will duplicate the activity you are about to perform but with less intensity.

Dynamic Stretching

The final stage is called dynamic stretching. This is more dangerous then static stretching and should be done under professional supervision. In this stage you will stretch by controlled and soft bouncing of the muscle so that the muscle is stretched even further.

Henry Chervenka