Importance of Warm Up

This is an important area never to be neglected when training in any sport or activity, especially in Ju jitsu.

A correct warm-up gets the muscles, tendons and joints ready for action by increasing the speed at which they contract and relax and by mobilizing a greater number of motor units within the muscles.

Warming up raises the body temperature which improves the oxygen supply to the muscles, tendons and joints, and it stimulates the blood sugar and adrenaline readying them for action. The preparation of the heart muscle for rigorous exercise is particularly important to individuals who have cardiovascular problems. Warm-up reduces the workload on the cardiac muscle and helps to provide it an adequate blood supply.

A good and correct warm-up also prepares our bodies for the stress of activity at hand. The activity may help improve performance, but more importantly, it appears to help prevent or reduce muscle soreness, muscle strains, and the tearing of muscle fibers or tendons.

It takes only about 10 to 15 minutes to warm-up the body, although this time tends to increase with age. It also takes longer to warm-up on cool or rainy days. You should start your warm-up with some easy running, gradual stretching, general exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups. This should be the major part of your warm-up. Follow this with a more specific "loosening -up" that mimics the activity in which you are going to participate. If a part of your body is wore, work particularly on that area.

A cool down period does not seem to be as important as a good warm-up. However, to allow your body time to readjust, a cooling down period of about five minute is recommended. This should include decreasing the intensity of your activity and some walking or stretching.