Mar2

Written by:
02/03/2012 15:40 

Warm up

When planning training sessions or preparing to compete in an activity coach’s should plan and give time for warming up. A warm up increases the athlete’s body temperature and increases the blood flow to the muscles.

Benefits of a warm up

• Increases muscle temperature
• Prepares the body and mind for physical activity
• Increase blood flow in the muscles
• Allows time to check for injuries
• Delays early fatigue
• Prepares the body for using oxygen effectively during physical activity

The warm up phase in a training session should be made up of the following:

Pulse Raising Activities

Getting the heart rate up and getting the cardiovascular system working.Example of a pulse raising activity: 5-10 minute walk or light jog.

Mobilising of the joints

Increasing mobility of the joints and moving all the joints through the full range of motion. Example: arm circles, ankle and wrist rotations.

Stretching

Stretching is done to reduce the risk of injury. See a full article below on “The importance of stretching”.

Sports Specific Warm up

Drills being used in the warm up activities should be sports specific. Example: playing football the warm up should have warm up drills such as kicking and passing the ball.

Cool Down

The cool down phase of a training session or post competition is as important as warming up. Cooling down allows the body and muscles to return gradually to a resting state. The main reason why cooling down is important is, cooling down prevents the building up of lactic acid in the muscles.

Benefits of a cool down

• Lowers the heart rate and body temperature
• Releases tension that could build lactic acid
• Brings the body back to its resting state
• Can reduce the risk of injuries occurring

The cool down phase should be made up of the following:

Pulse Raising Activities

Activities that will bring the heart rate back to normal and bring the body temperature down. Example: slowly walking around.

Passive Stretching

Slow stretches to prevent stiffness. See a full article below on “The importance of stretching”.