Given its simplicity and accessibility, running is an extremely popular method of exercise—all you need are a pair of running shoes, some appropriate clothing, a route to follow or access to a treadmill and you can start exercising. Want to maintain a healthy bodyweight? Running can do that. Want to improve your health or reduce stress? Running can do that. Want to test your fitness level or need some additional motivation to exercise? Register for a running race or event and you’re set.
Of course, while running is easy, accessible and beneficial, you have to know how to do it properly so you can enjoy it for years. One of the ways you can help prepare your body to perform its best once you start running is to first perform a dynamic warm-up, which offers the following six benefits:
- For many runners, a warm-up may consist of only a few stretches or some slow jogging before starting to move at a steady running pace. While this is better than nothing, it does not adequately prepare muscles for the forces experienced during a run. If you run regularly or are returning to running after taking some time off, avoid the risk of an injury and make your workouts as effective as possible with a dynamic warm-up.
- Cold temperatures require a car’s engine to idle for a few minutes to allow it to warm up before driving. Warming up a car is a fitting analogy for the benefits of a dynamic warm-up; allowing a car’s engine to run for a few minutes ensures that oil is circulated through the engine to lubricate the pistons responsible for generating the power that makes the car go. Muscle, fascia and elastic connective tissues are more elastic at higher temperatures, which allows easier, unrestricted motion of the joints used in exercise. Taking the time to perform a complete dynamic warm-up, starting with slow movements before progressing to rapid, explosive exercises, allows blood to circulate to the working muscles. This also activates the central nervous system (CNS) so it functions more efficiently to control the muscles involved in running.
- There are two general types of muscle fibers in your body: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow-twitch fibers use oxygen to metabolize free fatty acids into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the chemical used for energy, via a process called lipolysis. Slow-twitch fibers are mostly involved with endurance activities such as running for distance. Conversely, fast-twitch fibers use carbohydrates (called glycogen once it is stored in muscle cells), either with or without oxygen, to produce ATP. Because they can generate more force than slow-twitch fibers, fast-twitch fibers are used when muscles need to produce greater amounts of force. Glycolysis, which is the process of metabolizing glycogen to ATP, takes less time than fatty acid oxidation; for this reason, it is the primary source of energy when running at a moderate-to-fast pace. The different movements of a dynamic warm-up helps facilitate glycolysis so that you can produce energy efficiently for your run.
- Several hormones, including cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine (commonly called adrenaline because they are produced in the adrenal glands), are used to help metabolize fats and carbohydrates to ATP. The gradually increasing intensity of a dynamic warm-up allows the adrenal complex to produce these hormones so that you have the energy to fuel your run.
- Reciprocal inhibition refers to the physiological action that occurs when the shortening or contracting of one muscle sends a signal to the muscle on the other side of a joint to lengthen. The controlled contractions of a dynamic warm-up apply reciprocal inhibition to allow muscles to lengthen and joints to lubricate to properly prepare for activity. In addition, joint capsules and ligament endings contain numerous sensory receptors that measure and identify pressure, movement and the rate of movement of their respective joints. Slow, controlled movements through a complete range of motion allows the nervous system to learn how to regulate the degrees of freedom, or amount of movement, allowed in each individual joint.
- A byproduct of glycolysis is carbon dioxide, which causes your rate of breathing to increase because the lungs are trying to expire carbon dioxide while drawing in more oxygen to use for energy production. In addition, glycogen stored in muscle cells attaches to water. As glycogen is metabolized to ATP, it releases that water in the cells. Low-intensity body-weight exercises use free fatty acids for fuel; as the exercises of a dynamic warm-up become more intense, the working muscles gradually start using glycolysis to produce ATP. This causes your breathing to speed up and sweat to start appearing, which is a signal that your muscles are ready to go, the warm-up is over and it’s time to start running!
Whether you’re a longtime runner looking for a more effective way to train or you’re a beginning runner, the following dynamic warm-up will help make sure that every step you take counts. Note: These exercises are also very effective for an active recovery workout the day after a really hard training session, when your muscles are still sore and you want to move but you don’t want to overwork your body. In addition, they can also be used for a stand-alone mobility workout on those days when you might be dragging a little bit and want to work out but don’t want to push yourself too hard.
Kwa sababu ya urahisi wake, kukimbia ni njia maarufu sana ya mazoezi - unahitaji tu jozi ya viatu vya kukimbia, nguo zinazofaa, njia ya kufuata au upatikanaji wa treadmill na unaweza kuanza kufanya mazoezi. Je, ungependa kudumisha uzito mzuri? Kukimbia kunaweza kufanya hivyo. Je, unataka kuboresha afya yako au kupunguza mkazo? Kukimbia kunaweza kufanya hivyo. Je, unataka kujaribu kiwango chako cha mazoezi au unahitaji kichocheo cha ziada cha kufanya mazoezi? Kujiandikisha kwa ajili ya mbio au tukio na wewe ni kuweka. Bila shaka, wakati kukimbia ni rahisi, kupatikana na manufaa, lazima ujue jinsi ya kufanya hivyo kwa usahihi ili uweze kufurahia kwa miaka. Njia moja ya kusaidia kuandaa mwili wako kufanya kazi bora mara tu unapoanza kukimbia ni kufanya kwanza joto la nguvu, ambalo hutoa faida sita zifuatazo: Kwa wakimbiaji wengi, joto la mwili linaweza kuwa na kunyoosha tu au kukimbia polepole kabla ya kuanza kusonga kwa kasi ya kukimbia. Ingawa hilo ni jambo bora kuliko kutofanya lolote, halitayarishi misuli kwa njia ifaayo kwa ajili ya nguvu zinazopatikana wakati wa kukimbia. Ikiwa unakimbia mara kwa mara au unarudi kukimbia baada ya kupumzika kwa muda, epuka hatari ya kujeruhiwa na kufanya mazoezi yako iwe na ufanisi iwezekanavyo na joto la nguvu. - Joto baridi huhitaji injini ya gari ifanye kazi kwa dakika chache ili iweze kupasha joto kabla ya kuendesha gari. Kuongeza joto la gari ni mfano mzuri wa faida za joto la nguvu; kuruhusu injini ya gari kuendesha kwa dakika chache inahakikisha kwamba mafuta yanazunguka kupitia injini ili kufuta pistoni zinazohusika katika kuzalisha nguvu ambayo hufanya gari iende. Misuli, fascia na tishu za kuunganisha zenye nguvu ni zenye nguvu zaidi kwa joto la juu, ambayo inaruhusu harakati rahisi, isiyo na kizuizi ya viungo vinavyotumiwa katika mazoezi. Kuchukua muda wa kufanya joto kamili la nguvu, kuanzia na harakati za polepole kabla ya kuendelea na mazoezi ya haraka, ya mlipuko, inaruhusu damu kuzunguka kwa misuli inayofanya kazi. Hii pia huamsha mfumo wa neva wa kati (CNS) ili ufanye kazi kwa ufanisi zaidi kudhibiti misuli inayohusika katika kukimbia. Kuna aina mbili za nyuzi za misuli katika mwili wako: nyuzi za polepole na nyuzi za haraka. Nyuzinyuzi za kupunguzwa polepole hutumia oksijeni kugeuza asidi za mafuta huru kuwa adenosine triphosphate (ATP), kemikali inayotumiwa kwa nishati, kupitia mchakato unaoitwa lipolysis. Nyuzinyuzi za mwendo wa polepole huhusika hasa katika shughuli za uvumilivu kama vile kukimbia umbali mrefu. Kwa upande mwingine, nyuzi za msongamano wa haraka hutumia wanga (unaoitwa glycogen mara tu unapowekwa katika seli za misuli), ama na oksijeni au bila, kutengeneza ATP. Kwa sababu nyuzi hizo zinaweza kutoa nguvu nyingi kuliko nyuzi zenye mwendo wa polepole, nyuzi zenye mwendo wa haraka hutumiwa wakati misuli inapohitaji kutoa nguvu nyingi zaidi. Glycolysis, ambayo ni mchakato wa metabolizing glycogen kwa ATP, inachukua muda mdogo kuliko oxidation ya asidi ya mafuta; kwa sababu hii, ni chanzo kikuu cha nishati wakati wa kukimbia kwa kasi ya wastani hadi ya haraka. Mageuzi ya joto ya nguvu husaidia kuwezesha glycolysis ili uweze kuzalisha nishati kwa ufanisi kwa ajili ya kukimbia yako. -Hormoni kadhaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na cortisol, epinephrine na norepinephrine (kwa kawaida huitwa adrenaline kwa sababu hutengenezwa katika tezi za adrenal), hutumiwa kusaidia metabolize mafuta na wanga kwa ATP. Kuongeza nguvu ya joto la mwili kwa hatua kwa hatua kunaruhusu adrenal complex kutengeneza homoni hizi ili uwe na nishati ya kukimbia. Inhibition ya mwingiliano ni athari ya kisaikolojia ambayo hutokea wakati upungufu au kukata kwa misuli moja hutuma ishara kwa misuli upande mwingine wa pamoja ili kupanua. Mshuko wa joto unaodhibitiwa wa joto la nguvu hutumia kizuizi cha pande zote ili kuruhusu misuli kupanuka na viungo kufuta ili kujitayarisha vizuri kwa shughuli. Kwa kuongezea, vifuniko vya viungo na vifuniko vya ligament vina mapokezi mengi ya hisia ambayo hupima na kutambua shinikizo, mwendo na kiwango cha mwendo wa viungo vyao. Mzunguko wa polepole, unaodhibitiwa kupitia wigo kamili wa mwendo unaruhusu mfumo wa neva kujifunza jinsi ya kudhibiti digrii za uhuru, au kiasi cha mwendo, kuruhusiwa katika kila kiungo. Glycolysis huathiri mfumo wa kupumua kwa njia ya kuongeza kiwango cha hewa, na kusababisha mapafu ya binadamu kuondoa kaboni dioksidi na kuongeza oksijeni kwa ajili ya uzalishaji wa nishati. Kwa kuongezea, glycogen iliyohifadhiwa katika chembe za misuli huambatana na maji. Glycogen inapoanza kubadilika kuwa ATP, maji hutolewa kwenye chembe. Mazoezi ya chini ya nguvu ya mwili hutumia asidi za mafuta bure kama mafuta; kama mazoezi ya joto la nguvu inakuwa kali zaidi, misuli ya kazi huanza hatua kwa hatua kutumia glycolysis kutengeneza ATP. Hii husababisha kupumua kwako kuharakisha na jasho kuanza kuonekana, ambayo ni ishara kwamba misuli yako iko tayari kwenda, joto-up ni juu na ni wakati wa kuanza kukimbia! Kama wewe ni mwanariadha wa muda mrefu kuangalia njia bora ya mafunzo au wewe ni mwanariadha mwanzoni, zifuatazo nguvu joto-up itasaidia kuhakikisha kwamba kila hatua ya kuchukua hesabu. Mafunzo haya ni muhimu sana kwa ajili ya mazoezi ya kuokoa nguvu siku baada ya mafunzo ngumu, wakati misuli yako bado ni uchungu na unataka kusonga lakini hutaki overwork mwili wako. Kwa kuongezea, zinaweza pia kutumika kwa mazoezi ya mwendo wa kujitegemea siku hizo wakati unaweza kuwa ukivuta kidogo na unataka kufanya kazi lakini hutaki kujisukuma sana.