What is a warm-up?
Posted by Lesley Powell on July 7, 2008 · 1 Comment
By Lesley Powell
There has been controversy about warm-ups. Some say warm-ups are not necessary and not injury preventive. I think that it depends on what the warm-up is for. What do you want to warm-up?
A lot of dancers make the mistake of stretching their hamstrings as their warm-up. Over-stretching a muscle can release it and kick the function needed for moving.
For me, a warm-up is getting the joints and the muscles moving in preparation for larger and more demanding movement and/or workout. Especially as I have gotten older, I feel stiff. Moving my spine gently in different planes is my first goal. A Warmup should increase muscles and body temperature as well as blood supply.
My warm-up is simple, not advanced movement. It could include:
- Cat & Camel
- Side bending
- Rotation
Then there is improvement of mobilization of the joints:
- Hip joints
- Shoulders & neck
- Ankles & feet.
It is also a time of developing concentration and bringing back the mind-body connection. The warm-up prepares me to clearing my mind, increasing focus through imagery. For me, since I have some problems with knees and SI, bringing back better function is key. This is also a time of bringing in specific exercises for your movment love to improve function. It can also be a rehearsal of an activity.
Other Great resources for ideas for warm-ups
Hanna Somatics
Bartenieff Fundamentals
Dr. Eric Cobb/ZHealth
View Lesley Powell's profile
Thank you for your detailed reply Lesley.
I started doing Pilates matwork in the Autumn of 2005 on the suggestion of a Physiotherapist who had done some post graduate courses in Pilates.
Since 1990 I suffered, initially, severe acute lower back pain, and had all sorts of treatments, and spent a lot of money. Nothing really worked over the medium or longer term. So I was at a loss for a number of years. The surgical option had little appeal since it is known that medical outcomes are not very good post-surgery.
The point of boring you with all my LBP history is to demonstrate how Pilates, helped. I was often very uncomfortable before and after class, but the discomfort was not signalling the type of pain I associated with my back telling me to stop doing this. One of the classes I attended the Instructor always did a warm-up consisting of Standing/Vertical warm-up exercises. I started to find this seemed to be helping me. So about six months ago, I started to introduce Standing work into my daily life, and now very significantly, I find it is really sorting out my long history of LBP. Functional Movement as we get older.
So I am studying Functional Movement application to the Pilates Method. All you Physiotherapists out there will know the Anatomy and Bio-mechanical explanation of my experience. I am just a 65 year layperson who has found something that works for my body, and it costs you nothing. Maybe, some effort and good positive attitude.
Be well…. keep doing your practice! Colin Henry.