116 Flexibility
physical activity whether it be stretching, exercise,
sports, or mission-related training.
Cold muscles don't stretch, and there is a high chance of injury when stretching is
performed without first warming up. Stretching (especially dynamic stretching) may be
part of (or follow) a warm-up, but should not exclusively comprise the warm-up.Stretch only after an adequate
warm-up has been performed.
General Warm-Up
General (or unrelated) warm-up involves movements (e.g., running in place,
jumping jacks, and other calisthenics) that are different from, or unrelated to, the specific
activity that is to follow. This type of warm-up should be performed prior to high-intensity
activities (e.g., O-Course, power-lifting, “burn-out PT,” gymnastics, etc.) when immediate
participation in the actual activity is likely to result in joint or muscle injuries.Activity-Specific Warm-Up
Activity-specific (or related) warm-up occurs with a low-intensity version of the
activity that is to follow. Examples of activity-specific warm-up include a slow jog prior to
a long run; slow cycling in preparation for a cycling event; or slow karate moves prior to
practice. A related warm-up starts out slowly and progresses to more intense activity.
Depending on the intensity of exercise to be performed, a warm-up of anywhere between
10 - 30 minutes may be required--the greater the intensity of the workout, the longer the
warm-up.All warm-ups should be of sufficient intensity to elevate
body temperature; sweating is a good indication that you
are ready to move on to the next phase of your workout.Both general and activity-specific warm-ups may incorporate some type of
stretching, especially if the activity to be performed is one of high intensity and imposes a
good chance of acute injury. After a short period of warming-up, some pre-exercise
stretching should be done. Figure 7-3 provides several examples of warming-up for various
activities. If time is limited, the pre-exercise stretch can be eliminated but a static stretching
program should follow every exercise session.