Preparation phase exercises

Using the larger muscles of the lower body to get the body warm is the best way to start preparing for exercise. As the muscles contract, more than half the energy they use is converted to heat and it is deep muscle heat that warms your body. If you use larger muscles, more heat is generated and you get your body quickly up to operating temperature for exercise, without fatigue.

Preparation exercises also coat the inside of the joints with lubricating fluid, reducing the wear and tear of exercise and minimising your chances of chronic joint problems later in life. To thoroughly coat the joints, you need to move through a large range of movement. But be careful not to overdo it. Keep within your own comfortable range of movement.

Warming up

• If you are out running or walking, it's easy to warm up. Just walk at a normal pace for five minutes, mostly forwards, but with some sidesteps and backwards steps added in. Keep the arms moving naturally. For those of you exercising inside with limited space, try the following exercise sequence.
• The first exercise has the same foot positioning as landing when skipping - legs straddled, one in front of the other. Put your weight on the front foot and raise the back foot. Do 12 to 16 lifts of each leg, then change foot positions. Add some arm movements if you can.
• Next, it's walking on the spot. Lift the knees about a quarter of the way up. Keep your back upright and make sure you contract the tummy muscles just a little to support your pelvis. The upper body should be relaxed. Let the arms swing freely.
• To warm up the muscles on the outside and inside of the hip, try some simple side steps. Start with the basic standing position - feet comfortably apart, weight on both feet, knees bent slightly and bottom muscles and abdominal muscles slightly contracted to support the pelvis. Raise one leg and tap its foot across the front of the opposite foot. Raise the leg again and take its foot to the outside. Come back into the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Repeat 12 to 16 times on each leg. Follow the movement of the leg with the arms to increase muscle involvement and speed up the warm up.
• Get your back mobile with some rotations. Don't force these and don't bounce at the end of the range of movement. Assume the starting position with arms relaxed by your side. Slowly swing your upper body to look over one shoulder, then the other, 12 to 16 times on each side.
• To warm up the shoulders, keep the legs walking, raise the shoulders and rotate them backwards. Relax them down and bring them forwards. Repeat, rotating them in the opposite direction, 12 to 16 times.

It should take you three to five minutes to get through these exercises. If you play sports, use the gym or run, try these exercises just before you start. You'll be less likely to injure yourself and your performance will be improved.

Original material supplied by Monty Dortkamp, Chief Executive Officer, Fitness Australia, and Managing Director of the Australian Institute of Recreation. Edited by everybody, March 2005.