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Stretching is not warming up! It is, however, a very important
part of warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of
"warming up" (i.e., raising your core body temperature). A proper warm-up
should raise your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to
2.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and is divided into three phases:
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general warm-up
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stretching
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sport-specific activity
It is very important that you perform the general warm-up before
you stretch. It is not a good idea to attempt to stretch before
your muscles are warm (something which the general warm-up
accomplishes).
Warming up can do more than just loosen stiff muscles; when done
properly, it can actually improve performance. On the other hand, an
improper warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk
of injury from engaging in athletic activities.
It is important to note that active stretches and isometric stretches
should not be part of your warm-up because they are often
counterproductive. The goals of the warm-up are (according to
Kurz): "an increased awareness, improved coordination, improved
elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of
the respiratory and cardiovascular systems." Active stretches and
isometric stretches do not help achieve these goals because they are
likely to cause the stretched muscles to be too tired to properly
perform the athletic activity for which you are preparing your body.
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