Personally, when weight training, I advocate related static stretching immediately following an exercise (i.e. during rest between sets), such as a Latissimus Dorsi stretch following lat pulldowns.
If performed correctly, the exercise undertaken should allow for near full stretch and contraction of the muscle/s. Following warm-up sets and working sets, your muscles are at their hottest and, therefore, can be elongated (stretched) to a greater degree.
Stretching between and after sets of an exercise should prove advantages to help avoid stiffness and re-establish a normal (or greater) range-of-movement. With this in mind, they should also be included as part of your eventual cool-down.
This page is an extract from the forthcoming Gym Professor eBook Gym Workouts - Maps to Success.
GP
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W: http://www.gymprofessor.com/
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Warm Up
Warming-up is a sequence of exercise that precedes your workout.
If you are performing a sport or workout that is aerobic, your warm-up should prepare your cardiovascular system for the rigours of this workout or event. The warm-up should be designed to raise the body’s core temperature and be performed at a low intensity – it is not a workout in itself!
Likewise, when lifting weights, your warm-up should be relevant. You should perform warm-up sets of any exercise you are to perform. Typically, I would suggest 2 to 4 warm-up sets (starting with a very light weight) of each exercise before undertaking working sets of that same exercise. Warm-up sets will serve to locally heat the muscles in use and help to lubricate relevant joints in readiness.
For a gym workout that relates to both disciplines, such as an endurance gym workout routine with weights, I would be inclined to suggest an aerobic warm-up followed by warm-up sets, although you may warrant less warm-ups sets.
As per most subjects, warming-up is open to debate on which methods are best. As always, I would suggest adapting things to the individual and their endeavour. It should be remembered that the purpose of warming-up is to help improve performance and avoid injury.
GP
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