Do I need to warm up before playing sport?

15/06/2020

A warm-up is essential when it comes to starting any physical activity or sport.

The aims of a warm-up

• Prepare the body for the activity you're about to do.
• Gradually increase the heart rate and respiratory rate.
• Increase blood flow to the muscle groups.
• Prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Tips

Here are some recommendations to follow for an effective warm-up:

• Warm up all the parts of the body in an orderly fashion—don't forget about any of them!
• You should include movements, joint mobility and muscle flexibility.
• Do it gradually. Start with gentle exercises and increase the intensity little by little ending with exercises that require effort similar to the activity you’re about to practice.
• Adapt your warm-up to suit the features and type of successive activity to be performed. If necessary, tailor the exercises to work the arms or legs or do explosive and flexibility exercises. 
• You should try to avoid monotony and boredom by practising different dynamics, so as you’re not tempted to skip it.
• Generally speaking, your warm-up should be longer and more intense than the activity you’re about to do.

Once you've finished your warm-up, your pulse, respiratory rate and body temperature should have gone up, and you should feel mentally and physically ready to take on the most demanding activity