Stretching and Warm up Exercises

Before any workout takes place you need to warm up. Warming up
prevents any muscle strain and allows for better blood flow to the
muscles. Jumping into your fitness routine without any form of warm up
could cause muscle damage and render you unable to train for sometime.
Here are a few stretching techniques for various parts f the body.

Back Stretches: Lay on your front and open your arms to do a press up
style motion (without lifting your body from the ground). Holding your
pelvis to the floor push up with your arms, lifting your chest from the
ground, this will stretch the lower back muscles. Another technique used
for stretching and warming the back can be done, by lying on your back,
hand at your side, palms down. Lift your knees up with you feet flat to the
floor, and then rock your knees slowly from side to side stretching the
back muscles. Try these two exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Chest Warm Up: The easiest way by far is to use a vertical chest press in
your local gym. Or a horizontal press at home. Place a very light weight
on these machines and attempt 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
A light press-up session is also a good warm up. Instead of doing a full
press-up, use your knees instead of your feet to angle your body. Rest
your knees on the floor and assume the press-up position. Attempt 2 sets
of 20 reps for this to warm up.
Standing next to a post, face your right side to the post. Step forward
with your right leg. With your right forearm on the wall, shoulder at about
a right angle, turn your upper body away from the wall. Hold for about 30
seconds then repeat with the other side.

Shoulder Warm up: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, raise your
right arm up, then place your hand in between your shoulder blades,
keeping your upper arm raised. Then use your left arm to slowly pull your
elbow toward your head. Hold this position for 30 seconds, return and
start again 3 times. Then repeat with the opposite side.

Hamstrings: sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you,
about 2 feet apart. Now gently and slowly with both hands, reach for your
left foot, hold for 30 seconds and then return. Do this for both left and
right.

Calf Stretch: Stand with your feet apart, chest and back straight. Now
with your right leg move your foot back about 2-3 feet ensuring your foot
is flat to the floor. Then with your left leg bend your knee toward the
floor, until you feel the pull in your calf hold for 30 seconds then repeat.
After 3 repeats change over.

Thighs: Hold on to a chair or sturdy piece of gym equipment with your
left arm. Lift your right leg toward your buttocks, holding your ankle
allowing the heel of your foot to touch your buttocks, hold for 30 seconds
then repeat. Reverse the process remembering to hold on with your right
hand, using your left for holding your ankle.

Always remember these five rules when stretching and warming up:

1. Do not over stretch your muscles, only stretch to the point of
tension. Not to the point of pain.

2. Stretch with slow movement, sharp and jerky movement can cause
muscle strain.

3. Try to stretch and warm up both sides of the body e.g. both legs,
arms.

4. For maximum effect hold your stretches for 30 seconds

5. After your work out always allow yourself to cool down. Warm down
just as you warmed up.