Dynamic warm-up keeps you safer and more prepared

Gone are the days of static stretching before a workout. Whether you’re out for a run, on the court to play a game of basketball, or on a bike, you’ll need your body to be ready for whatever you throw at it. When you start static stretching, small tears are created in the muscle fibers that can increase the risk of injury. If you are an elite athlete, you really don’t want to be left out of any of your events. A small static stretch tear for a sprinter in the hamstring can cause that thigh pull during a run. The same is true for that basketball game. Don’t do a static calf stretch, as it can cause something serious when you blast off the ground for a bounce or layup. A mountain biker needs a lot of power to climb steep slopes, so static stretching should be avoided before grinding down the trails.

Before exercise, you should perform a dynamic warm-up aimed at the areas of the body that should be ready for any exercise or activity that you are going to do. Still, engaging your entire body will ensure the best warm-up. Proper dynamic warm-up increases blood flow to areas of the body that need it and increases muscle fiber recruitment. In other words, wake things up so they’re ready for action. Getting more muscle fibers to join the party will increase your performance.

Let’s look at a powerlifter. Weightlifting is a very explosive sport and it is very important to have the body ready or the risk of injury if it is high. Imagine that we are in a competition and we have two athletes. They are preparing for their big uprising on the bench. Assume that the two athletes are the same size, with the same bench maximum, and wear the same clothing. Let’s take weightlifter A, who does nothing to prepare for the lift. He lays down on the bench, hasn’t invited every muscle fiber to the party, doesn’t have the blood flow to safely perform this ultra-explosive move, and fails. Weightlifter B, warm-ups on an exercise bike. You also do your normal lunges, twists, arm swings, and climbs on a warm-up bench to lift a light weight, working your way up to a good muscle fiber recruitment weight. He does not fail but he succeeds and he does it with adrenaline and the mentality in fact he is capable of lifting more than expected.

Make sure to include a dynamic warm-up in your routine, you can see how beneficial it can be. Watch the video linked here to walk through some great dynamic exercises to get you ready for your next exercise!