Stretching is the most important thing to do before exercising. Stretching lengthens muscles, improves flexibility, and makes muscles more injury resistant. Warming up can help your body prepare for physical activity by increasing your heart rate and loosening tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, legs, and feet, so it’s essential to know how to do it.
Warm Up
Warm up before exercising to increase blood flow to your muscles. Warming up also helps lower the risk of injury and prevents soreness. It also helps to loosen stiff joints and increase muscle range of motion, which can help you prepare for more intense workouts later on.
A light jog or walk around the block or through an indoor track is a great way to warm up. Stretching is another option; before beginning any workout, try some gentle toe touches or hamstring stretches. Static stretches, such as touching your toes, should be avoided during exercise because they can cause muscle spasms if done incorrectly.
Drink Plenty of Water
It is critical to drink plenty of water before exercising to prepare for the workout and stay hydrated. Dehydration, dizziness, weakness, and headaches can all be avoided with proper hydration. In hot weather or while working or exercising in a hot environment such as a sauna, drinking enough fluids can also help you avoid heat-related illnesses.
When you sweat during physical activity, you lose water and essential minerals such as sodium chloride (salt), potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Drinking too little water can cause dehydration, which can lead to severe complications such as:
- Muscle spasms
- Fainting due to a reduction in brain blood flow
- Heart arrhythmia caused by insufficient blood volume
- Heatstroke caused by insufficient perspiration to dissipate body heat
- Death (in extreme cases)
Wear Appropriate Attire
Wearing appropriate attire includes comfortable clothing, properly fitting shoes, and anything else you need to be comfortable while working out. It is critical to dress appropriately because failing to do so can result in overheating, leading to illness or death in extreme cases.
Wearing clothing with an elastic waistband will keep your pants from falling and making your workout difficult and embarrassing if the exercise requires a lot of movement. Sagging jeans can also get caught in the machine’s moving parts, limiting blood flow in your legs. Finally, tight-fitting clothing can restrict the range of motion, making any exercise more challenging.
Listen to Music While Working Out
Music is a powerful tool for setting the right tone for your workout, and it can make all the difference. It can also help you avoid feeling tired or sore during a strenuous part of your workout. The right playlist has been proven scientifically to “activate” more neurons on both sides of the brain, which means that listening to upbeat music will improve your mood while also improving your cognitive function.
Listen to music for at least 10 minutes before starting your workout. Then, when you can’t take another minute of upbeat music, switch to slower songs with steady beats that will help you raise your heart rate without making it too complicated.
Preparing for a sweat session may not be the most exciting part of your workout, but it can help you feel better during and after your workout. Stretching, for example, helps to loosen up tight muscles that get tightened by previous exercises or simply sitting at work all day.
