Tailor a warm-up to the type of physical activity you’ll be doing.
Move of the MONTH
Alternating Hamstring Curls
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your left knee to bring your left heel toward your buttocks as you balance on your right leg. Immediately return to the starting position. Repeat with your right leg. Continue this left-right sequence for a total of 10 times on each leg. Let your arms swing forward and back as you move.
Photo by Michael Carroll
A warm-up is essential before a workout. Sometimes, just marching in place and moving your arms around for a few minutes is enough to prepare your body for what it’s about to endure. At other times, it takes more work to get your body ready for activity. "Many people think that a warm-up before playing golf, pickleball, or tennis means taking a couple of practice swings with the club or racquet. In reality, it should include five to 10 minutes of warm-up activities," says Christina Ruggeri, a physical therapist specializing in sports medicine at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
What does the warm-up do?
Warm-up activities accomplish several tasks:
They get blood pumping, which sends oxygen and energy to your tissues and muscles, so they’re ready for activity.
They put muscles and joints through their range of motion, gently stretching them so they can accommodate broad movements.
They prepare the joints for forward and backward movement, side-to-side movement, and rotation.
For moderate-intensity activity
The type of warm-up you need depends on your activity. For a strengthening routine or moderate-intensity activity (such as brisk walking or riding a bike on level ground), marching in place for a few minutes makes an effective warm-up. Swing your arms as you march.
"Alternating leg activity can quickly raise the heart rate, which is important in a warm-up," Ruggeri says. "Marching also works your leg and buttock muscles. The leg you lift works the hip flexor. Your stationary leg works the gluteal muscles [in the buttocks] and the quadriceps [in the thighs]."
For more intense activity
For vigorous physical activity, such as swimming or playing tennis, or for activity involving strenuous physical movements, such as golf, you’ll need a more extensive warm-up. For example: "Golf requires that you swing your arms and turn your trunk. Tennis and pickleball require those movements, plus lateral shuffles. So, you’ll want to prepare the muscles for that," Ruggeri says.
One way to warm up is by practicing moves you’ll perform later. "Do the movement repeatedly, in a slow and controlled manner, to allow the body to adjust to the activity," Ruggeri says. "For example, for tennis, stand in place and slowly perform a backhand swing to warm up the shoulder and core muscles."
