No matter what type of training we engage in safety should always come first. Bodyweight training is no exception to this golden rule. After all when injured we can hardly train at all can we? So paying close attention to things like warming up and stretching before our training sessions ultimately leads us to getting stronger and fitter in no time at all. Pay close attention to this chapter. My suggestions are simple, but they should not be skipped or glossed over, trust me!
Bodyweight Training Warm Ups
Warming up for Bodyweight Training is much less complicated than some of the schemes you may be used to if you have done much weight lifting. Our goal is to get the blood flowing and raise our temperature before we do our light stretching. This helps make us more limber for our stretches and further reduces our chance of injury.
How you choose to do this is really a matter of personal choice, but I suggest you aim for the ten minute mark. A brisk walk or jog is what I choose to do most often, but if you prefer using the bike or a rowing machine that's fine too. Many of my friends who are involved in combat sports go old school and jump rope or hit the punching heavy bag. As long as we accomplish the goal of getting our blood circulating and temperature rising without overdoing it feel free to choose which ever cardio method you prefer.
Stretching Tips and Ideas
Again warming up and stretching is a must before every workout session. After your ten minute warm up another ten minutes of stretching unless you have special needs to address will get the job done effectively.
- Don't Bounce in Your Stretches. Stretch calmly and with a slow and controlled effort. This will not only give you the best results, but all will avoid tearing any tight muscles. We are stretching to prevent injury NOT cause injury!
- Control Your Breathing. Erratic breathing can detract from the benefits of stretching. Exhale into your stretch and continue breathing full deep breaths as you maintain your stretch.
- The Magic Thirty. Hold your stretches for thirty seconds. Research has shown this is the amount of time that offers the most benefit for the athlete.
- Never Stretch into Pain. Stretching should NOT hurt. "No pain - no gain" may apply to other areas of training. It never, ever applies to stretching! Please don't ignore this tip.
- Consider having a go at Yoga. Yoga can be a really awesome compliment to Bodyweight Training. The false impression that yoga is just for women is losing more ground every day, with Football and Rugby players, along with mixed martial artists all singing the praises of this ancient art form. Yoga can help you experience real health benefits along with flexibility. Combined with Bodyweight Training you can truly build the ideal body in the privacy of your own home with no equipment needed at all.
Between warming up and stretching you'll be ready to train in twenty minutes. Give this twenty minutes the same attention you pay to the rest of your training and your body will thank you. It goes a long way towards becoming near injury proof!
