The science behind the warmup

[jesusloverr]

@dawn16 What are halos btw?

 

[dawn16]

@jesusloverr

Great for loosening your shoulders.

 

[jesusloverr]

@dawn16 Cool I’m gonna give these a try

 

[lunastella]

@jesusloverr On this note, I never cool down. How important is cool down? Edit- by cool down I meant stretch after. How do i stretch after?

 

[jesusloverr]

@lunastella I think the cool down has far less necessity than the arguments for a warmup. It’s designed to slowly bring your CNS back to a relaxed state, but arguably your body will achieve this on its own eventually without cooling down.

Instead of a specific cool down, I just spend some time stretching the muscles I worked out. Serves the same purpose essentially and their are benefits reported in science to static stretching at the end of workouts.

 

[johanmichel]

@lunastella If you're thinking of stretching then it could be important: Making you more flexible and stuff. But just to cool down? Don't think that's too important unless you combine it with mindfulness or something.

You body will cool down on it's own and it's a natural process.

 

[j814wong]

@jesusloverr My P.E teacher was a retired body builder he always said if you need to warm up for to be lifting in a certain position or doing an activity you normally could not do without warming up then dont do it it's a way to hurt yourself...but idk if he was correct I've lifted on and off for years without incident but idk if it's been sheer luck or I dont work out hard enough.

 

[jesusloverr]

@j814wong That’s an interesting take.

 

[aaaaaaaaaa]

@jesusloverr I'm no expert, but I just do a quick warmup so my muscles arnt cold before a pre workout stretch. I have nothing to back it up, but just kind of assumed I can get better stretches with warmer muscles, meaning less chance of injuries.

 

[jesusloverr]

@aaaaaaaaaa Oh stretching 100% requires warm muscles. I’m pretty confident that that has been proven in the scientific literature time and time again. But I’m not so sure about it’s requirement for strength training.

 

[jesusdudecoolguy]

@jesusloverr There is a dude in my gym that has been training for agea that has a bench press max of 200kg and his first set is 100kg or 120 if he's in a hurry. Never injured himself, I envy him

 

[jesusloverr]

@jesusdudecoolguy What do you think might be his secret?

 

[jesusdudecoolguy]

@jesusloverr He is just built a tank, no fricking idea, genetics?
I've known him for ages, natural 100%, about 120kg bodyweight (and maybe 25% bodyfat)

 

[holyspirit2014]

@jesusloverr Warming up plays a big part in prepping for exercise as it helps raise body temperature and increase blood flow. This means your muscles will be getting more blood and oxygen and your soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments become more pliable and will react better when under strain than if you just went straight into the exercise cold. Obviously the warm-up should mirror what movements you are going to be doing to make it as efficient as possible.

The same principle applies to stretching. A warmer body means your joints and musclrs are more pliable and amenable for stretching.

There is scientific research backing it and anecdotally I can confirm it works.

Obviously it all depends on how those people who skip warming up and never get injured are actually working out. They may be doing lighter sets of exercises before their heavier working sets not realising that that is also a warm up etc.

 

[jesusloverr]

@holyspirit2014 Yea. This is the kind of study I’d like to see: one comparing “non-warmup athletes” to “warmup athletes”

 

[dawn16]

@jesusloverr Ummmm I don't care what some study says.

I'm almost 40. If I am warmed up I can do pistol squats all day. Without a warm up I am blowing out a knee.

Maybe this would apply to teenagers?