Fitness-needs:What to do before we work out

Prior to starting any exercise program, there are several things one should do beforehand. Always take a small towel or a piece of cloth. If you perspire a lot, then having a towel at hand can be a blessing. Dry hands also allow you to get a better grip on equipment. Secondly, carry some water bottles with you. It is essentially to keep hydrated both before, during and after exercise. One of the chief reasons why people develop cramps is due to dehydration. While there are a lot of fluids being marketed for the athlete, water is adequate for most individuals. Diabetic individuals should ensure that they carry some orange juice or a candy bar, just in case they develop hypoglycemic episodes.

The next very important aspect of any exercise program is adequate warm up. Most people who develop injuries following exercises is because of failure to warm up. Rushing to intense exercise without adequate warm up can lead to unnecessary tendon and muscle injuries.

Furthermore, warming prior to exercise also increase blood flow to the muscles, helps relax the joints and improves removal of toxins from the body. A good warm up keeps the body energized and activated to keep up with the energy requirements.

The amount of time one needs to warm up varies anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Warming up less than 3 minutes has little benefit. A 10 min aerobic work up is ideal for most exercise programs. For example, if you want to jog for 20 minutes, then walk at a steady pace for 3-5 minutes before hand.

During the warm up, breathing should be easy and one should not have any pain. At the end of the warm up, one should feel relaxed and breathing should not be strenuous. If you have pain or are panting, then you have gone too far.

Warm up exercises include a slow jog, rotting the joints, static stretching, or a simple walk.

While there is no rigid time limit on warm up, a decent 5-10 min warm up is adequate for most individuals. Warming up keeps your body relaxed, prepares the joints ability to tolerate stress, increases flexibility and helps prevent injury. So take a few minutes of your time to relax your mind and body before rushing into an exercise program. Knowing what to do during your workout is very important. Knowing what to do during your workout is very important. When planning a work out, there are some essentials things to take and use.Click on the link above to see what to do.