Your body needs some time to warm up before you can be active at a moderate intensity, otherwise you risk injury or discomfort
Keep safe
Keeping safe
The benefits of being active far outweigh the possible risks. Here are some ways to make physical activity as safe as possible.
- If you haven’t been active in a while talk to your GP
If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, heart disease of osteoarthritis or if you have symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, dizziness or joint pain talk to your GP before you increase your activity levels. Filling out the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ) will let you know if you should contact your GP prior to becoming more active. - Gradual build up!
At the beginning start off slowly, gradually building up to the target of at least 30 minutes moderate intensity activity five days a week. Try 10 minutes at a time to begin with and build up at a comfortable pace from there. Remember during moderate intensity activity you should still be able to have a conversation. - Warm up and cool down!
Your body needs some time to warm up before you can be active at a moderate intensity, otherwise you risk injury or discomfort. Similarly, as you come to the end of your activity you need to allow your body return to its normal state. It is a good idea to include some stretching at the end of your activity, you can get some ideas for stretching here ‘stretching for children’ and ‘sample stretches’ and do not forget to view more information on how to warm up and cool down. - Be safe! Be Seen!
Wear high visibility accessories such as arm bands and bibs if you are out and about in the dark.
Warming up reduces the chance of injury and helps you perform at your best
Why Warm-Up?
It’s important to warm-up before you take part in any type of physical activity and cool down after an activity.
Warm-up exercises are essential when undertaking any physical activity. Warming up reduces the chance of injury and helps you perform at your best. A warm-up routine moves the body gently from being at rest to being in motion and should take between 5 -10 minutes depending on the length of the activity you are about to undertake.
During a good warm-up the following changes will take place in your body:
- Your joints become lubricated thereby increasing your mobility.
- Your muscles become warmer and more flexible; this makes it safer to stretch them and become more receptive to activity.
- Your heart will pump faster (although not to the level experienced during your workout), increasing circulation and providing more fuel (oxygen) to your muscles in a gradual manner.
- Your mind becomes focused on exercise.
Why Cool-down?
It is essential to always cool down by doing some stretches at the end of an activity session.
Stretching has many benefits:
- Increases flexibility and improves range of motion of your joints.
- Improves circulation which can speed recovery after muscle injuries.
- Relieves stress; it relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.
Stretch after you do activity i.e. when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching. The cool-down should take between 5 -10 minutes during which your pulse should slow down to resting rate.
Stretching safely:
- Do not stretch cold muscles or you risk causing yourself an injury.
- Lean into each stretch at a slow and relaxed pace and then hold in position for 15 seconds. Do not bounce.
- Stretch to the point of “mild tension”. If you feel pain, you’ve gone too far. Overstretching can also cause damage.
Here are some sample stretches you can try.
Sample Warm-up & Cool-down StretchesHere are a few examples of warm-up & cool-down stretches you could try after your activity. |
Sample StretchesHere are a few examples of stretches you could try after your activity. |
