Should You Always Warm-Up Before Exercise?

Is warming up before a workout always necessary? 

As Rory Knight, co-founder of Track Life LDN and trainer at KXU says, “Preparation is key. I deem warm-ups so necessary that I’d never train without warming up thoroughly. The aim of a warm-up is to prepare the body both physically and mentally for the activity you are about to perform. The aim should be to mobilise, activate, energise and stimulate both the mind and the body. A good warm-up should leave you feeling confident, fired up and ready for action.” Science agrees, with studies showing a warm-up will boost blood flow to the muscles and increase body temperature and heart rate. As the body warms up, oxygen is sent to the muscles, effectively priming them for action. Warming up will also help your muscles contract and relax faster, and studies have suggested a link between warming up and improvements in muscle strength and power.

So does warming up always guarantee a better workout? 

Taking the time to activate the body prior to hitting the gym, or the pavement, is a sure-fire route to a better workout, especially when it comes to staying strong and injury-free. “A warm-up will improve your performance, and allow you to better tune into your body,” says Alex Rogers, trainer at KXU. “A warm-up that incorporates mobility drills will allow you to become more aware of how your body is performing that day and areas where you may feel tight. If you are more aware of areas of potential weakness, such as tight muscles, you can then prevent injury or over-straining by avoiding particular positions.” Gideon Remfry, wellness director at KX and KXU agrees, adding a warm-up can also offer an opportunity to boost your overall athletic skill development. “If you can commit ten to 15 minutes prior to each exercise session to warming up, and let’s say you work out three times per week, that gives you 45 minutes of skill exercise development per week, or three hours per month. That’s a serious amount of time to master movements,” Gideon says.

Are the benefits all physical? 

Not necessarily, says Jason Reynolds, head of fitness at Lanserhof at The Arts Club. “A recent study by the American College of Sports Medicine suggests warm-ups may not actually be helpful for increasing sporting performance from a physiological point of view. The study suggests warm-ups and preparation – namely stretching and light intensity cardio – has a psychological effect that pushes the limits of performance.” Jason also says a warm-up can help to reduce performance anxiety, making them particularly important if you’re feeling nervous about heading back to the gym post-lockdown.

Do certain workouts require a warm-up more than others? 

The pros agree the more intense the workout, the more time you should dedicate to priming the body. Take running, for example, a high-impact activity that incorporates dozens of muscles and various joints. As Alex explains, “Running involves a triple extension, which means the hip, knee and ankle need to all bend simultaneously with sufficient mobility. For example, dorsiflexion is the mobility in the Achilles tendon (back of the ankle) and plantar flexion is the flexion down the front of the foot – these factors play a key role in running, so taking the time to work on the mobility of the foot will greatly improve your workout.” 

Are there certain times of the day when warming up is more important? 

Yes – if you exercise first thing in the morning, a warm-up is even more important, says Jason. “Natural body movements will provide a small percentage of preparation for movement, so a full day of activity will increase your heart rate and joint ROM (range of motion) compared to just rolling out of bed and exercising,” he adds.