The Warm Up

The warm up is basic in Physical Education. We do it everyday, so it is the first thing you must learn.

WHAT IS A WARM-UP?

A warm up is a series of exercises you do before physical activity, to prepare your body for it.

For example, before playing an intense sport you can run slowly to warm your muscles and your heart.
Warm ups must prepare the muscles for the activity.
There are very different warm ups, (high intensity, low intensity, for basketball, for tennis...)
So, the warm-up volleyball players do is different from the one footballers do.
Warm ups are specific to the sport or activity you practice.
 Benefits of the warm up:

If you do a good warm up, you can get:

1. Protection against injuries
2. Better performance

And also:

• You increase your body temperature.
• Your joints move more efficiently
• Oxygen in blood travels faster.
• Muscles move faster and with more strength
• Your muscles extend more and are more elastic
• You react faster

 PARTS OF A WARM-UP

1. Movements of your joints.

This is the first part, and it must have a low intensity. We move our arms in circles forwards and backwards, we draw circles with our hips...

2. A small run.

This is to warm up your heart and lungs, and also the muscles.

3. Exercises similar to the sport you are going to play and/or a game.

In this part, you warm up the muscles you use in the sport or activity.
This part must be progressive in intensity. It must start slow and increase the intensity.
It must end at a intensity similar to the sport you are going to practise.

4. Stretching of the main muscles.

This makes the muscles more flexible, prevents injuries and also helps the muscles to develop more power.