fundamentals
Exercising Safely
Warming up
The goal of warming up is to prepare the mind and body for more vigorous activity without compromising performance of the more vigorous activity. Also, warming up is meant literally. Warm muscles are more pliable and less likely to tear than cold muscles, which contract sluggishly. Starting exercise at lower intensity (for example, walking rather than running or using lighter weights) raises the temperature of muscles by increasing blood flow. Therefore, warming up helps prevent injuries. Activities that do not raise muscle temperature do not provide such benefit. Warm-up activities also help prepare the mind for more intense activity, thus increasing confidence and motivation and improving the mind-muscle link for higher quality activity. "Warming up" before exercise is meant literally. The temperature of muscles must actually increase in order for them to be more pliable and to generate maximum contraction. 