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To Warm Up or not to Warm Up
Author : Meryl Da Costa, Registered Physiotherapist, Clinic Manager Category : Exercise and Fitness
The most important part of your squash game is the warm up. Overlooked by most, the warm up helps us to prepare our bodies for the dynamic and vigorous actions squash imparts on our bodies.
The goal of the warm up is to
Ø Increase our core body temperature
Ø Improve blood flow
Ø Activate our nervous system (helps to improve our coordination, accuracy, and reaction time)
Ø Improve our muscle efficiency
Your warm up should include:
1. Light aerobic activity that lasts 5-10 minutes in duration i.e. light jogging or riding a bike
2. Dynamic stretching. This is an important component of a warm up. These activities help to move your muscles and joints through a sport specific range of motion.
Ø Arm Circles: stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms out to the side. Start with small gentle circles forwards and gradually increase in size
Ø Trunk Rotations: With feet shoulder width apart, swing your arms across your body, gradually reach up and over your shoulder
Ø Side Bending: With feet shoulder width apart, slide your right arm down your right leg as far as your can go comfortably, with your left arm reaching over your head, then reverse
Ø Lunging: Start with your feet together, lunge forward and add backhand and forehand swing movements.
Ø Squats: with feet shoulder width apart, lower your hips as far as you can go ensuring that you feet do not lift off the ground. As you squat, lift your arms. You can also add neck rotations
Properly warming up will help to improve your reaction time, accuracy, coordination, prevent injuries and help to improve your overall game!
