Athletic : Warming Up

The human ‘motor’ can be likened to a car engine, in that it will nor perform at its best until its temperature has risen to an optimum level and its moving parts are well lubricated. It requires ‘warming up’ before undertaking vigorous exercise and this is especially important before competition.

Is The Warm-Up Essential?

In the case of a very long race, the first 800 – 1000m might serve, to some extent, as a warm-up, but since the muscles and organs do not perform at their best until they are warmed up, this would mean some unnecessary loss of energy. A good warm-up also serves to minimize the risk of muscular injury, especially in the ‘explosive’ events (sprints, throws, jumps).

Further Precautions

A thorough warm-up is always necessary and ‘stretching’ should never be neglected even in very hot weather. Special care is needed in cold weather because of the greater risk of muscular injury. Extra warm clothing will be necessary and some form of ‘passive’ warm-up may be beneficial. To sum up: The warm-up is a general preparation , gentle and progressive, which should have a positive effect on all muscle groups, joints, ligaments and bodily organs.

Relativity

An experienced athlete’s warm-up could well be a complete general training session for a beginner while the beginner’s basic training session would be a mere warm-up for the experienced athlete.

Aim

The aim of the warm-up is both psychological and physiological. The psychological aim is to achieve a mental preparation for the activity to be performed and to gain automatic muscle control (the avoidance of over-tension). The physiological aspects aim at an adaptation of the following systems:

• Organic:

1. To prepare the organs to supply more energy without premature fatigue.

• Neuro-muscular:

1. To make better use of the power produced by this system.
2. To improve blood circulation to the muscle and increase their internal temperature and so reduce risk of injury.
3. To stimulate the nervous system governing movements and work cycles to give a better response (especially important in ‘explosive’ events – sprints, jumps and throws).

• Biochemical:

1. To interact with the systems which carry energy elements around the body.
2. To make efficient use of the energy elements, especially those used in endurance events.

• Psychological:

1. Mental preparation and relaxation.

Execution

There should be a gradual build up in the effort exerted. About ten minutes of very easy running can be followed by thorough but gentle stretching of the muscle groups of the lower and upper legs, hips, trunk and shoulders. Than more very light running can be alternated with more dynamic exercises. Finally, the muscles most closely involved in the event should be stretched and exercised. 

For the throws, jumps and sprints, the final part of the warm-up should be a little more ‘explosive’. Power activities should be alternated with those for agility and relaxation and cardiovascular ones with muscular ones. 

The running section stimulates the heart to an increased pulse rate and improved blood circulation and this matches the muscular activity. According to the events concerned, practice starts, acceleration runs, jumps, throws or hurdle drills and runs can be included towards the end of the warm-up. 

Finally, emphasis should be placed on hose muscle groups which are most directly concerned with the event movements. They should be worked with the same intensity as that required for the competition, but fairly briefly in order not the tire them.

Duration and Distribution

This depends on individual circumstances, the state of the weather and the type of event. Generally, the warm-up lasts from 25 to 50 minutes.

• 1^st Part: Slow running and gentle stretching exercises.
• 2^nd Part: Slightly more vigorous exercises (general).
• 3^rd Part: More strenuous and explosive exercises (sometimes at the same effort as in the actual event but carefully spaced out and of fairly short duration).
• 4^th Part: Specific exercises (starts, hurdles, preliminary throws).
• 5^th Part: Relaxation exercises. The proportion of running to exercises will vary according to the type of event (running, jumping or throwing).

Middle and Long Distance Events

A greater amount of running than exercises.

Speed Events

A balance between running and exercises

Jumps

As per speed events.

Throws

More exercises than running

Auxiliary Aids

The use of clothing, liniments etc. can never take the place of an active warm-up but should complement it.