So why are warm up exercises important? You may be tempted to skip the warm-up the next time you workout. Resist that temptation as a good warm up reduces your chances of injury or aggravating an old injury.
Most warm-up sessions will include a combination of cardiovascular exercises, stretching and strength drills. The cardiovascular exercises are designed to increase circulation, increase body temperature and bring the heart rate up, while stretching warms the muscles and prepare them for the movements they will be required to carry out during the activity.
To warm up, gently use all the same muscles you plan to use for the fitness activity. The length of your warm-up will depend on how intensely you plan to exercise. Generally, the more intensely you plan to exercise the longer you will want to warm up. For most people, between 5 and 30 minutes is sufficient.
The most important reason for doing a warm up is to prevent injury; keeping the muscles warm will prevent acute injuries such as hamstring strains and will stave off overuse injuries by allowing the body to prepare steadily and safely.
For tips on how to warm up ask your mobile personal trainer check out the video below for a low impact cardio workout for an all over warm up.