BEFORE a rooster crows at dawn it stretches its legs, stretches its neck, flap its wing, before doing a cock-a-doodle-doo! Why this? It is the best way to start its day, because stretching stimulates its body. Like human beings yawning with stretch arms as they get out of bed in the morning motivates the body for a new day.
Preparations before indulging yourself in exercise is not simply changing into your outfit, go on sweating, and hitting the shower, although sweating is said to be a good sign of an exercising body, it is still important that stretching exercises be the first thing you do before doing vigorous exercise.
Physiologists identifies stretching exercises in two different types: “Ballistic” exercises, which are standard vigorous calisthenics exercises that feature quick, repeated movements, like doing jumping jacks, mountain climbing, etc,; and “Static” exercises, which involve slow and rhythmic stretching.
Both types of stretching exercises are effective, but static exercises are found to be safer and aid in eliminating muscle soreness. Static exercises are highly recommended to be done before and after exercise or training.
When doing static exercises, muscles should be stretched and joints must be put through their full range of motion, but must not be strained against resistance.
Such exercises should also be done rhythmically with a natural flow from one exercise to the next and avoid sudden changes and breaks. Have a variety of exercises to make your warm-up enjoyable, think of the concept that simple body motion is fun.
The variety of exercises you do must combine muscle stretching with increased activity of the heart and cardiovascular system so that the use of every part of the body should be in natural motion. Part of it should be calisthenics to strengthen the arms, legs, abdomen, as well as the whole body to support it from vigorous activity, giving the body balance of strength, stamina, and reduce the possibility of injury.