Warm up – Purpose  The purpose of the warm up is to prepare an athlete for activity both physically and mentally.  It is important that the warm up is specific to the activity. I.e. the warm up should prepare the muscles that are to be used and activate the energy systems for the activity to follow.

Functions  The main functions are to:  Increase the heart rate  Raise the body temperature  Prepare the major joints of the body  Mentally prepare the athlete for exercise

Components  The warm up can be categorised as either pulse-raisers or stretches.  Pulse-raisers – a simple cardiovascular exercise that will raise a persons heart rate. Normally lasts for 5-10mins and towards the end of this phase, the heart rate should be near to the level expected for the main activity.

 Stretches – these are used as part of a warm to improve joint mobility. The joints will become warmer and allow a full range of motion to be achieved. Should start with small movements and progress to larger, full ranges.  Dynamic stretching – promotes a form of flexibility that is beneficial in sports using momentum from an effort to propel the muscle into an extended range of motion. Must be in a controlled manner

Duration  The warm up should be customised to the physical capabilities of the client and the intensity of the activity.  A brief 10 minute warm up will be adequate for a weekend runner, but a seasoned athlete may require something more thorough.

Types  Specific 1 st phase – raising the heart rate, leading to an increase in the speed of delivery of oxygen to muscles. E.g. jogging. 2 nd phase – mobility or stretching exercises. 3 rd phase – sport or skill specific component. E.g. if you were warming up to play football, you will practice kicking a ball.

Types  General A general warm up will still aim to raise the heart rate, increase body temperature and improve joint mobility. Resistance machines can be used with low weight resistance and low repetitions. Intensity increases after stretching.

Cool down – Purpose  The purpose of a cool down is to return the body to its pre-exercise state.

Functions  The three main objectives of a cool down are: 1.Return the heart rate to normal 2.Remove any waste products that may have built up during exercise. 3.Return muscles to their original state.

 A cool down will also keep the metabolic rate high and capillaries dilated to enable oxygen to flush through the muscle tissue.  A cool down will also reduce the effect of delayed-onset of muscle soreness (DOMS).  The final part of the cool down should include stretching that is designed to facilitate flexibility.

Components  Lowering of the pulse – select cardiovascular exercises that involve all the major muscle groups. Decrease intensity gradually. Lasts for approx. 5 minutes.  Stretches – will allow the muscles to return to their normal working length. Can either be maintenance or developmental.

 Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) This is a combination of passive stretching and isometrics, in which a muscle is first stretched and then contracted. PNF was developed as a form of rehabilitation. It can also be used to target specific muscle groups. As well as increasing flexibility, it can also improve muscular strength.

Task 3  Design a suitable warm-up and cool down for a sport of your choice. Remember that your warm-up should be specific to the exercise you are about to undertake, and contain a variety of stretches and pulse-raising exercises. Having designed the warm-up and cool down, demonstrate them to a small group, describing the need for each chosen exercise.

 P3 – To attain P3 consider how your body changes immediately during exercise, and during longer, sustained periods of exercise. You must consider the sport you are warming up to perform and should identify the specific muscles that will be used during the performance.