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A well designed exercise session should always have three basic components to maximize its benefit and prevent injuries: the warm-up, the condition stimulus (cardiovascular and/or muscle conditioning) and the cool-down.

The warm-up is a transition period from rest to the target exercise intensity. During the warm-up, the body temperature gradually increases so that the body is better prepared to meet the challenges of the conditioning phase. . Some of the benefits of a warm-up period of 10-15 minutes prior to more strenuous exercise are:

* Rehearsal of the movements or activities that will be performed
* Elevation of body temperature and muscle blood flow
* Reduction of incidence and likeliness of musculoskeletal injuries
* Adequate supply of blood to the heart
* Decreased risk of cardiac disease events
* Improvement of joint range of motion and function

Warm-up can be general or specific, in relation with the type of exercise routine that will be performed.

A GENERAL WARM-UP is any type of aerobic activity that raises your heart rate to approximately 60-65% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). MHR = 220 age. For example, let's say a person is 40 years old, then the MHR would be 180. Therefore, the warm-up session should bring the heart beat of this person to about 108-227 bpm (beats per minute).

The general warm-up can include activities such as: walking, slow jogging, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, low resistance cycling, jump rope, etc.

A SPECIFIC WARM-UP incorporates low-level activities similar to what will be done during the conditioning phase. This type of warm- up is especially beneficial before a weight training session because it helps protect muscles and joints, allows muscles to contract with greater intensity and serves as a rehearsal of the movement and breathing patterns.

As a general rule a specific warm-up should include 12-15 repetitions before the workout set and the following considerations:
* Use approximately 50% of the workout weight
* Rest between 30 to 90 seconds before the actual workout set.

For example: if you are going to perform squats with a 30 lb barbell, warm up doing 12-15 repetitions of the same squat using only a 12 or 15 lb barbell.

The warm-up may also include some stretching activities, although stretching should only be done following some activity to warm up the muscles. It is recommended to perform at least one stretch for each major muscle group: calf, hamstring, quadriceps, back, chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, hip flexor, hip extensor and abdominals.

Learn more about this author, Viviana Victoriano.
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