Whether you’re an athlete going into your match of the day or a regular guy about to hit the gym, preparing for the amount of physical activity you’ll be engaging in is important. If you’ve skipped your warm up on more than one occasion then you better keep on reading. 

While it may be tempting to dive right into your workout without making your that your muscles and joints are limber, doing so can actually be more harmful to your body than you realize.

Without proper warm up, your muscles and joints are more prone to sustaining injuries throughout your workout. Moreover, your body won’t be able to handle the increased physical stress as efficiently.

In addition, if you don’t warm up, your muscles won’t have enough oxygen supply which it needs to sustain repeated contractions. You muscles also won’t be as flexible.

What Happens When You Warm Up

A lot of things happen when you warm up which makes it easier for your body to efficiently function throughout your workout. This includes:

1. Increased muscle temperature. Warm muscles contract more forcefully and relax more quickly. This translates to a more efficient workout since your muscles are able to handle the added physical stress easily.
2. Improved range of motion in the joints. This allows for a more rapid and fluid joint movement which is crucial for observing proper form. It also optimizes your body’s ability to perform during your work out.         
3. Increased blood temperature. When your blood is warmer, hemoglobin more weakly to oxygen. This means more oxygen is available for your muscles to use during your work out. 
4. Increased production of hormones responsible for the production of energy.
5. Increased oxygen intake due to the gradual increase in your heart rate
6. Increased muscle elasticity, decreased connective tissue resistance, and reduced muscle tension.
7. Improved mental state. A warm up clears the mind and increases your focus. This allows you to concentrate more on what you are doing which is very helpful if you are an athlete.

• Do not skip your warm up. As we've mentioned before, warm-ups are an important part of your workout so be sure to incorporate them into your routine.
• Do not overexert yourself. A good warm-up aims to get the blood flowing to your muscles and to loosen your joins so you can perform better during your workout.
• Static stretches are better suited for cooling down rather than warming up. 
• Keep hydrated while warming up.