Kinesiology: Warm-Up & Stretching

Well hello there

Kinesiogy 1!

Who are your Warm-up and stretching guides?

Warm-Up

• Function:

Warm-up is the physical act of gradually increasing your heart rate and blood flow to rev up your cardiovascular system for mraise your body temperature making your muscle more pliable and ready for more intense activity and stretching

• How To:

• Walking- brisk walking is a low impact/ low intensity movement that creates
• Planks- isometric raises internal body temperature, blood flow increases the body’s preparedness for physical activity
• Low intensity cardio

Benefits & Effects:

• Prevents injury:
• Rushing into an intense aerobic workout without the correct preparation could lead to serious problems such as muscle strain or injury
• Your muscles contract and relax more efficiently when performing a proper warm up, which aids in reducing muscle stiffness.
• As the temperature of your active muscles increases, the amount of oxygen that travels to your active muscles also increases, and your nervous system becomes more active.

Dynamic Stretching

What is Dynamic Stretching?

• “The limb is never held in a specific position for a prolonged period of time. The limb is taken through its full range of (ROM), from full contraction to full extension, at a controlled, slow to moderate speed” (Wyon, 2010).

• They are moderately intense movements that will increase your heart rate and make you start to sweat

When should I do dynamic stretching?

•After warm-up and before static stretching

What are some examples?

•Plies

•80s aerobics

•swinging the arms forward and back so that they cross each other or around in a wide circular motion through the sagittal plane

What are the benefits?

•Help you perform at your best

•Improves flexibility

IT'S NOT GIRL

Static

Stretching

• Static stretching involves taking the limb to a position where tightness is felt, and then holding that position. As the position is held, the muscle being stretched gradually elongates, and over a period of time the plasticity (permanent deformation) of those structures increases, thereby increasing the ROM.

When and how should I be prepared?

• Before a dance class it is smart to increase your range of motion and prepare your muscles for exercise. By stretching your muscles, you improve the performance of your muscles.
• Wearing warm clothing to facilitate a rise in a dancer’s internal temperature allows the muscles to become more mobile when you stretch (Holt, 2008).
• You may static stretch at any time of the day, as long as you are aware of how your body feels. In the morning, your muscles are not as warm, and thus require less intense static stretches (Holt, 2008).

Cool Down!

Cooling down after your workout may help gradually reduce the temperature of your muscles, especially if you've had an intense workout. Cooling down may help reduce muscle injury, stiffness and soreness, but the research is uncertain

As previously stated by this author, the physiological theory behind Micro-stretching© seems beneficial for increasing passive ROM (Range of Motion)… Anecdotally, this author has seen dancers reduce muscle tightness and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) very quickly using this technique. Because the technique is at a much lower stretch intensity it is less stressful mentally and physically, and helps with relaxation at the end of the day (Wyon).

How To:

• Sun Salutations (raising arms up to sky and folding at hip crease while lowering arms)
• Plié roll up the spine one vertebrae at a time
• oChild’s pose
• oShavasana (laying in a supine position)

We hate to say goodbye, but that's all folks! Remember, be sure to Warm-up & Stretch properly to prevent injury and massive recoils. OUCH!

Warm-up & Stretching:

Motion is Lotion

Don't Be too hasty!

Let's Get Started Y'all!