Warming Up
When you begin your training we want you to experience all of the benefits that come with it. We also want to make sure that you avoid the pitfalls of beginning a rigorous physical fitness program. The following information is provided to help you learn the reason for and the proper way to prepare for physical exertion. During classes the instructors will lead you in your warmup activities, but when practicing on your own you will need to warmup as well.
Why Warm up
Warming up has been shown in studies to greatly reduce the chance of injury. This is accomplished by the increase in blood flow through active tissues due to the warmup activity. This increases metabolism and muscle temperatures which allows for some of the following benefits.
The speed of contraction and relaxation of muscles is Increased
Muscle stiffness can be reduced by Dynamic Exercises
A lowering viscous resistance within the muscles leading to greater range of motion
Increases heart rate to a level suitable to begin exercise
Facilitates oxygen utilization by muscles due to the hemoglobin releasing oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures
Facilitates nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures
Facilitates motor unit recruitment for subsequent all out activity when specific warmup exercises are used
While there is still some conflicting information regarding what is useful with regards to warming up, there has been nothing to suggest that any of the methods we use are in anyway detrimental.
How To Warm Up
For a general workout prior to any physical exertion 5 to 10 minutes of jogging followed by 10 minutes of stretching.
To warm up for a specific activity such as sparring or competition, the exercies during the warmup should reflect the same types of movements as those that will
During classes you can expect warmups to consist of running, different types of jumping and plyometric drills, conditioning exercises and technique training.