The warm up - preparing for performance

The Warm-Up: Preparing for Performance BY Dave Gould

It is generally regarded as essential for an athlete to warm up before engaging in any performance or high-intensity training situations, and parkour is no exception. With the demands placed on the body through parkour training, thorough preparation is essential to protecting oneself and achieving maximum performance. Research has identified that there is a reduced risk of injury when performing progressively quicker and, crucially, sports specific stretches and movements. Exercise Physiologists have identified key physiological and psychological benefits of a targeted warm up routine.

Physiological Importance of Warming Up:

Increased Muscle Temperature- The temperature increases within muscles that are used during a warm-up routine. A warmed muscle both contracts more forcefully and relaxes more quickly. In this way both speed and strength can be enhanced. Also, the probability of overstretching a muscle and causing injury is far lower.

Increased Body Temperature- This improves muscle elasticity, also reducing the risk of strains and pulls

Blood Vessels Dilate- This reduces the resistance to blood flow and lower stress on the heart.

Improve Efficient Cooling- By activating the heat-dissipation mechanisms in the body (efficient sweating) an athlete can cool efficiently and help prevent overheating early in the performance.

Increased Blood Temperature- The temperature of blood increases as it travels through the muscles, and as blood temperature rises, the amount of oxygen it can hold becomes reduced. This means a slightly greater volume of oxygen is made available to the working muscles, enhancing endurance and performance.

Improved Range of Motion- The range of motion around a joint is increased.

Hormonal Changes- Your body increases its production of various hormones responsible for regulating energy production. During warm-up this balance of hormones makes more carbohydrates and fatty acids available for energy production.

Psychological Importance of Warming Up:

Mental Preparation- The warm-up is also a good time to mentally prepare for performance by clearing the mind, increasing focus, reviewing skills and strategy. Positive imagery can also relax the athlete and build concentration. For parkour this is just as important as physical preparation, as the nature of the practice will ask you to overcome inhibitions, fears and self-imposed limitations on a regular basis.

The Format of a Warm Up

The warm up can be divided into two parts:

General

This begins with 6-8 minutes of jogging or any other activity which raises your heart rate and raises body temperature. Skipping or quadrupedal movement are great alternatives. This should be followed by gradual dynamic movements and stretches that focus on joint mobility. Ideally a routine can be developed which focuses on all the body parts starting from the head down to the feet.

Specific

This part of the warm up incorporates specific movements that will be required to perform the techniques and skills for the athletes sport once the activity or performance starts. Initially these movements should start low to medium intensity and build up to the highest intensity possible to mimic the game, match, competition or performance situations. It is essential that in this part of the warm up that all the technical skills are performed.

Here are my top tips for a successful warm up routine:

1. Ensure you raise body temperature as this process will switch on numerous physiological processes that will make subsequent vigorous movements more effective and safer.

1. Be specific - include warm up exercises that mimic the movements required in the relevant sport for which you are training or competing in. Be progressively dynamic with exercises progressing to real match/game speed.

1. Gradually increasing the intensity of your specific sport. This uses the specific skills of a sport and is sometimes called a related warm-up. For runners, the idea is to jog a while and add a few sprints into the routine to engage all the muscle fibres.

1. The best time to stretch a muscle is after it has an increased blood flow and has increased temperature to avoid injury. Stretching a cold muscle can increase the risk of injury from pulls and tears. So you are better off doing gradual aerobic exercise before stretching. Keep in mind that the best time to stretch is after exercise because your muscles are warm and pliable with the increase of blood in them. Make sure your warm up begins gradually, and uses the muscles that will be stressed during exercise.

1. Focus on stretches that hit the key muscle groups associated with your sport or activity. Static stretches can be used as part of the warm up but should be performed only as a peripheral element where elongated muscles are prone to tightness for example; the hamstrings when rowing or cycling.

•  Keep in mind that the perfect warm up is a very individual process that can only come with practice, experimentation and experience. Try warming up in various ways, at various intensities until you find what works best for you.

1. The sport specific warm up should also include specific mental preparation alongside the physical conditioning. Mental preparation through the use of imagery and mental rehearsal techniques puts the athlete or performer in the right frame of mind and hence enables the individual to get the best from their body. Sports Psychologists call this the ‘zone of optimal functioning’.

Summary

Neglect the warm-up at your peril – think of the body like a racing car: slamming on the accelerator when the engine has been cold and idle all day will do no good whatsoever to the vital parts of the machine. Turn on the engine and warm it up gently, getting the fluids flowing and lubricating and the mechanics ready for action – then you can safely push it to top speed.

 A regular and thorough warm-up will prepare your body for performance, work out any kinks or niggles you may have prior to training, sharpen your spatial and physical awareness, and get you in ‘the zone’ for the efforts to come.

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