I know, I know … it’s walk time! Your chance to clear your mind and move your body. Out the door you go, putting one foot in front of the other.
Not so fast. Like the overture to a symphony, a proper warm-up sets the tone for your walk. Taking just a few minutes to warm up will help you get the most out of that walk, give you the chance to build strength and flexibility, and set you up for success. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of taking just a few minutes for a warm-up for your body and your mind.
Benefits to Your Body
When you take a few minutes to warm up, your body undergoes a few important changes. Here are three.
1. Benefits to your cardiovascular system: A good warm-up gradually increases your heart rate, breathing rate, and circulation, sending more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. This helps ensure that your muscles have the oxygen and nutrients they need for optimal performance. In addition, this improved circulation also helps your body remove metabolic by-products, such as lactic acid, which may reduce muscle soreness.
2. Benefits to your muscles: Dynamic stretches during a warm-up specifically target muscle groups, promoting flexibility and reducing the risk of strains or tears during the workout. By dynamic, we mean moving, slow, deliberate movements designed to wake up and prime your muscles for movement.
3. Benefits to your joints: Ever heard the expression “motion is lotion?” It’s not just your muscles that benefit from a warm-up; it is your joints, too. As you begin to warm up, your joints become more lubricated thanks to the synovial fluid. This increased lubrication reduces friction and can enhance flexibility and improve your range of motion.
The Benefits to Your Mind
Around here, we care as much about the mental and emotional benefits of your walking practice as we do about the physical ones. And here too, a proper warm-up helps to prime the mind for the challenges ahead and foster a focused and positive mindset.
Even a few minutes of an intentional warm-up allows you to mentally transition from a sedentary state to an active one. This mental shift helps prepare your mind to focus on the upcoming physical demands and gives you a chance to bring your focus to your upcoming walk. Finally, the rhythmic and repetitive nature of warm-up exercises, combined with deep breathing, can help alleviate stress and anxiety. This calming effect prepares both the mind and body for the walk to follow.
Not sure where to start? Coach Carrie suggests 8-12 slow and controlled repetitions of each of these six warm-up movements – click HERE to see them in action!
Neck Rolls - gently create a forward head/neck roll. Start with your ear gently tilting towards your shoulder, brushing your chin towards your upper chest, and completing an arch as your opposite ear comes towards the other shoulder. Arch back through that same pattern, dropping ear to shoulder, chin to chest, and so on as you carefully roll side to side.
Standing Cat/Cow - Just like doing a Cat-Cow movement when on your hands and knees, the goal is to create flexion & extension in your spine. Start with a neutral spine. To find extension, allow your chest to open forward, shoulders to pull back, your chin to rise up, and your pelvis to tip forward. Then reverse those movements, move through your neutral spine again, and find flexion in the other direction. Roll your shoulders forward, stretching through your upper back, chin down, and pelvis tucks under. Gently move from flexion to extension and find yourself back at a neutral spine before continuing to your next move.
Bow Pulls - Standing tall, extend both arms forward with your palms facing each other. Pull your right elbow back so your torso twists and your right palm brushes your ribs. Reach your right arm again, and repeat rotating to the left. This should resemble pulling back like with a bow and arrow.
Hip Circles - Finding something stable to hold onto if needed for balance, shift your weight to the right leg as you lift your left foot off the ground. Bring your knee straight up in front of you, and then using the range of movement in your hip, open your knee to the left before placing your foot back down. Finish all left side circles and then repeat on the right.
Ankle Rockers - Again find something sturdy for balance if needed, gently rock onto your heels, lifting to your toes off the ground. Roll back through the midfoot rocking onto the toes as your heels slightly lift from the ground.
Leg Swings - Holding on for balance as needed, shift your weight to your right leg and gently swing your left leg forward and back, tapping your foot to the ground as needed to stabilize. Ensure that the movement is just in the hip, being careful that your upper body isn't leaning forward and back.
As you lace up your shoes and prepare to push your limits, remember that a few extra minutes devoted to a proper warm-up can make all the difference. It's not just a ritual; it's a commitment to the longevity of your walking for wellness journey.