A proper warm-up is a must for most sports, because it jars the muscles out of a tight state, gets the blood flowing and increases one’s overall core temperature. These factors alone are crucial to prevent injuries, which is why martial arts practitioners should never skip warming up. Immediately putting a huge demand on the body without warming up can lead to tears, strains and other injuries. The best way to prepare for one’s training session is to gradually build up one’s heart rate and level of intensity.
There are six main components that a functional warm-up should focus on: strength, stamina, speed, suppleness, skill and psychology. All of these elements contribute to increased physical power, endurance, flexibility, velocity, ability and attitude. Generally in martial arts, the warm-up styles are sport-specific, meaning that the warm-up involves moves that pertain to the particular activity ahead. This type of warm-up style provides the body with a gradual increase in activity that will only warm up those body parts that will actually be used. Since most martial arts involve plenty of leg, hand and body movements, flexibility is another key component, as is the instructor himself. Some teachers may prefer more typical warm-ups, while others may recommend sport-specific ones.
For a thorough cardiovascular warm-up, activities like jumping jacks, jump rope and jogging in place may be used, to slowly warm up the body while simultaneously increasing one’s heart rate. Martial arts warm-ups commonly begin with the neck. Since the neck is used to stimulate the central nervous system, neck rolls can be an excellent way to get the brain working. In addition to the neck, other warm-up moves include compound movements, such as hip rotations and performing an elbow-to-toe style stretch. Compound movements not only increase the heart rate and core body temperature, but they also generally involve a static stretch at some point. Since kicking is involved in most martial arts, warm-up kicks help increase the blood flow to the larger muscles, which ultimately loosens them up. Warming up is very important before engaging in intense activities.
For more information about how to warm-up your body before exercising, check YouTube. There are dozens of professionally produced exercise videos that focus on warm-up exercises. In addition, if you suffer from some form of bodily injury, whether long-term or short-term, such as neck or back problems, you might want to conduct some simple search engine queries for warm-up exercises that won’t place unnecessary pressure on these sensitive areas.
For information on kid’s martial arts in Chandler, AZ, visit Sandoval Freestyle Karate Chandler and speak with parents, students, and instructors about the benefits your child(ren) will receive. Learn more about various exercises and physical activities that can try, on this website: www.40tbfacts.com
