The Proper Warm-Up

By: David Buchanan

As the outdoor industry continues to push the limits of adventure, there has been an increasing number of injuries among avid and hardcore outdoorsmen induced through these activities.  Many fitness experts feel that these injuries are the direct result of an inadequate warm-up. This month we will tackle the  three main goals of a warm-up and discuss the common misunderstandings around stretching.

A warm-up should:

1) Prepare the joint for activity in and throughout the joint’s desired range of motion.

The joints of the body are viewed by many to be like hinges.  A hinge, if it is to work properly, must be lubricated frequently. It must also be worked back and forth through its full hinge range.  If this is not done often, the hinge will begin to freeze up and possibly even “squeak” near its beginning and end ranges.  The joints of the body have the same needs as does the hinge of a door.  The joints need to be worked through their full range so that the joint’s fluid can lubricate the joint so it does not freeze up or “squeak”.

2) Increase metabolic activity- elevate heart rate, raise core temperature, and stimulate the glandular system.

Metabolic activity as defined by Signet/Mosby medical encyclopedia is “the sum of all chemical processes that take place in the body as they relate to the movement of nutrients in the blood.”  The primary way to increase metabolism is through exercise.  During exercise, the heart rate elevates, then the body temperature rises and there is an increase in hormonal activity.  The action of elevating the metabolic activity directly relates to the next goal.

3) Facilitate the flow of bodily fluids.

To use a cliché, this goal is “to get the juices flowing”.  The fluids targeted for increased flow are the synovial or joint fluid- the lubricant, cerebrospinal fluid- the brain and spine fluid, interstitial or cell fluid, circulatory fluid– blood and plasma, and lymphatic or glandular fluid.  The increase flow of these fluids is the direct result of the two preceding goals.

Now let’s tackle stretching.

A warm-up if it is to meet the correct criterion must have an active muscular contraction throughout the joints full range of motion.  As opposed to a passive posture at the joints terminal (end) point, which is the basis for stretching.  Applying proven physiological principles, an active muscular contraction is the most efficient way to fulfill the warm up criterion, not stretching!

Many advocates of stretching believe that a muscle should be relaxed during stretching or muscle contraction, for that matter, is physiologically impossible.  It is obvious that when there is a muscle contraction that the contracted muscle is unable to be relaxed.  To explain why a muscle is being stretched cannot be relaxed will require a basic lesson in human biology.

The joint is usually at its terminal (end) point in most stretch postures, in these postures the joint is in a dislocation force. The body then sets up its protective measures to protect the joint in the form of a reflex.  This reflex is called a stretch reflex.  The joint posture causes the muscle being stretched to go into a sustained contraction in order to hold the joint together and protect it from dislocation.  This usually leads to muscle fatigue and then the joints protection measures breakdown. The joint dislocation or micro trama of the joint tissue (ligaments, cartilage, bone and muscle), is cumulative and sets up an environment where a vast array of other injuries can occur. Remember laxed ligaments are the number one cause of creaking joints.  Therefore stretching causes hinge creaks not prevents them.

Conclusion

We prep our gear before heading out on the next adventure. In the same way we need to properly warm-up our bodies.  Whether you hunt, fish, hike or explore, minimizing injury will maximize your time spent in the great outdoors!

Dave is a registered Kinesiotherapist with 29 yrs. of experience.  He has helped over 100 college athletes transition to the NFL.

David Buchanan
Full Potential Fitness Network
847.421.0887
prosportdog@gmail.com