Why Warm Up?
The main goal and purpose of any warm up is to prevent injury. And, in avoiding the obstacle of injury, a warm up can increase performance quality. Warming up your body is particularly important in preparation for gymnastics activities, as they are especially physically demanding. Here are some tips and directions to a good and thorough warm up:
Start with a Jog - Begin to warm up by jogging several laps (approximately 5 minutes) around the floor space. This is the quickest and simplest
cardio method of increasing your heart rate and therefore increasing blood circulation to your muscles.
Slow your roll - Decrease your pace to a slow jog or walk, and continue for another lap (approximately 1 minute). Do not stop immediately!
Stretch it out - Warm up all your body's major joints:
Time Out! - Stretches should typically be held for 30 seconds to one minute each, but should never be painful! It can be harmful to
overstretch your muscles.
It is also important to have fun with your warm ups and cool downs! Create personalized routines to get the best stretch for your body.
Music is also a great way to time your stretches, motivate yourself, and have fun with your activity.
Start with a Jog - Begin to warm up by jogging several laps (approximately 5 minutes) around the floor space. This is the quickest and simplest
cardio method of increasing your heart rate and therefore increasing blood circulation to your muscles.
Slow your roll - Decrease your pace to a slow jog or walk, and continue for another lap (approximately 1 minute). Do not stop immediately!
Stretch it out - Warm up all your body's major joints:
- Ankles - start on your hands & knees and extend out into a planche position, rolling your ankles one at a time in a small circle on the ground. Stretch out the Achilles tendon by stepping into lunge position, keeping your toes facing forward in front and behind your body.
- Wrists - in a kneeling position, flip your hands under (alternate palms up, palms down) and use your body weight to stretch them out, leaning forward and to the sides to cover a range of motion.
- Neck - tilt your head from side to side (ear to shoulder), tilt your chin up and down (chin to chest/sky), look from side to side (turning the entire head), and roll your head clockwise and counterclockwise. Make sure not to rotate your neck beyond your normal range of motion!
- Shoulders - bring one arm across your chest and gently pull using your other hand until you feel a stretch in your shoulder and repeat on with the other arm, stretch your triceps by raising your arms above your head, bending one arm and grasping the elbow with the other hand, pulling the bent arm towards your back (scapula) until you feel a stretch in the arm, and repeat with the other arm.
- Hips - for experienced gymnasts, sitting in the splits on either leg and in middle splits is an ideal stretch for the hips, however beginners can sit with their feet together in front of their body and pull their feet towards their body to open and stretch their hips.
- Back - standing or sitting in a straddle position, reach down between your legs until you feel a deep stretch (also stretching the hips), also reach toward each leg stretching your sides. Stretch your back by performing a bridge (also stretches shoulders and hips), see Skill Training for instruction - /skill-training.html
- Legs (calves and thighs) - sitting or standing in pike position (feet and legs together), bending at the hips to reach your hands towards your toes, keeping your head down towards your knees, you should experience a stretch in the biceps femoris and gastrocnemius. For a more intensive calf stretch, while sitting, perform the stretch with flexed feet.
Time Out! - Stretches should typically be held for 30 seconds to one minute each, but should never be painful! It can be harmful to
overstretch your muscles.
It is also important to have fun with your warm ups and cool downs! Create personalized routines to get the best stretch for your body.
Music is also a great way to time your stretches, motivate yourself, and have fun with your activity.
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Songs for...
Warming Up: • Marry The Night - Lady Gaga • Levels - Avicii • Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars • Renegade - Daughtry • We Found Love (Remix) - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris • Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia Cooling Down: • Feel Again - OneRepublic • Home - Phillip Phillips • Too Close - Alex Clare |
Why Cool Down?
Cooling down your body after a period of strenuous exercise is just as important as warming up. After being active in a gymnastics session, your muscles are still engaged, but fatigued and in need of recovery. A proper cool down can help aid recovery and maintain good health after intensive training.
An effective cool down should include;
An effective cool down should include;
- Gentle Exercise - a slow jog for 5-10 minutes to slowly regulate heart and breathing rate
- Stretching - static stretching for 5-10 minutes can help to decrease body temperature, mechanically force waste products (formed in the muscles during exercise) from the sarcomeres of the muscle to the blood due to the high tension they generate, and increase the range of motion at the muscle. Pay special attention to stretching the muscles that were specifically strained during exercises, stretching them longer.
- Nourishment - nourish your body with plenty of water before, during, and after participating in gymnastics activities. Consuming an appropriate amount of carbohydrates will replenish your glycogen stores that have been depleted during the physical activity and supply your muscles with amino acids to speed up the rebuilding of the muscle over the following days.
The Science Behind It All...
A properly executed warm up prepares your body for training and any stress your body parts may be under during exercises. The assortment of movements we use require an increase in blood flow - thereby increasing oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal - to the muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments in the areas that are going to specifically be placed under strain. This allows greater neuromuscular control of the muscles and contribute to a more effective training session. This is why a brief period of cardiovascular activity (i.e. jogging) is required to help increase blood flow and raise the core body temperature in preparation for maximal force output when practicing gymnastics skills.
Incorporating stretching during a warm up and cool down helps to prevent DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
and reduce stiffness in the muscle fibres after strenuous exercise.
Incorporating stretching during a warm up and cool down helps to prevent DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
and reduce stiffness in the muscle fibres after strenuous exercise.
Sources:
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-warm-up-cool-down.aspx
http://sydneyswingkatz.com.au/blog/2010/11/the-cool-down/
http://www.entraineurdefoot.com/Tousienglish.html
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-warm-up-cool-down.aspx
http://sydneyswingkatz.com.au/blog/2010/11/the-cool-down/
http://www.entraineurdefoot.com/Tousienglish.html