How the Warm-Up Works

A warm-up not only reduces your risk for injury, but it also helps you burn calories more efficiently due to the increase in your core body temperature. As you gradually ease into movement, your muscles begin to heat up, which increases their elasticity. The blood vessels also dilate, allowing blood to move more freely and deliver oxygen to the heart and muscles. Increased oxygen flow to the muscles facilitates a better supply of energy for exercise. Instead of experiencing a rapid increase in movement and heart rate, as occurs when transitioning from no movement to intense exercise, a warm-up allows the body to prepare for the activity, thereby improving exercise performance.

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The mental fitness of your brain is as important as the physical fitness of your body. Research shows that regular physical and mental exercise improves brain health, slowing cognitive decline and reducing stress that can lead to chronic disease. Here are a few ways to exercise your brain and ensure you are fit from head to toe.

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You can have a positive influence on your family's health by making your time together more active. Not only do these games help you burn calories, but they also teach your children that exercise can be fun!

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If you aren't reaching your strength training goals, it's time to put down the light dumbbells and pick up a heavier set. When you begin exercising, light weights may produce results, but within a year, you will transition from a novice to a more advanced exerciser. Lifting heavier weights pays off by changing your body composition and improving your health and fitness.

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Your core is composed of the muscles in the abdominal area and the lower back. These muscles work together to support almost every movement you make. A strong core improves your balance and flexibility, but it may also reduce back pain and improve your ability to recover from injury. Get creative with your routine and add some of these moves to strengthen core muscles.

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Walking is an effective exercise, but it's easy to get into a rut with your routine. Always walking for the same distance and intensity may stop challenging your fitness. Add some of these creative variations to your workout to get the heart pumping and to continue improving your fitness.

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The foam roller is a dense cylinder-shaped piece of foam used to give muscles a mini-massage with big fitness benefits. Foam rolling muscles lengthens and stretches the muscle, increasing blood flow.

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Completing a 5K race requires both fitness training and a healthy eating plan. It's essential to start your preparation several days in advance to ensure you have the proper fuel to perform your best on race day.

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The knee is a complex and resilient joint that can absorb loads greater than four times your body weight. Knees are used in almost every activity, which leaves them vulnerable to injury. This doesn't mean that avoiding activity is the best way to protect knees. Research indicates that exercise helps prevent knee osteoarthritis by maintaining healthy cartilage in the joints. The key is to keep your knees safe during exercise to avoid pain and injury.

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You want a challenge.

By alternating high-intensity intervals with short recovery periods, you can get health benefits in less time while challenging your fitness. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, high-intensity intervals should be performed at 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate, followed by rest periods at 40 to 50 percent of your maximum heart rate. The duration of the intervals can range from five seconds to eight minutes, and a complete workout can be as brief as 20 minutes. These short workouts have been shown to improve fitness, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity.

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