Weights questions

Hi Dave

I have a quick question for you if you don't mind

As muscle fibres are either 'on' or 'off' is the fact you warm up a muscle when building up to your working weight just to get more blood to the muscle?


Thanks!

in a nutshell ... YES

its'a a tad more involved than that... but in truth blood and blood flow is nearly everything for both health and fitness..

Like a car engine works best when 'warmed up' so does the human frame..
most massage, petrisage, effluage etc works by stimulating blood flow.. the blood is warmed and can do its jobs so much better when warm

you are correct that fibres are either full on or full 'off', but the stimulation if even a few fibres makes all those nearby warmer and tghus better able to contract and relax more

That is brilliant Dave, thanks.

As an extra then, what do you think re cool downs, I know everyone raves about them but if I am honest, I rarely do them, never had any trouble either, so am I just used to that or am I missing a trick?

a warm-down (or cool down) is really only necessary when you have a lot of lactic acid ... by far the best way really is to do your last couple of exercises with less intensity

or just walk about for a couple of minutes

A cool down is good practice after any form of exercise. You don't have to do one but it'll help with better muscle definition. Warm ups and cool downs help the muscles move more freely so there is less friction during and after exercise.

The fibers that make up muscles move over each other when active. If the fibers get stuck together they can't work properly and could cause problems in the future.

Cheers Dave and Geeraffe.

I wonder that as my life is always on the move I generally never stop after a workout and so the cool down is just natutral life for me?

I'd always reccomend a couple of stretches on the area you've been working once you've finished. If you allow the muscles to stretch after you'll find you not only get better muscle definition but better flexibility too.

Putting the mats away after training might qualify as a cool down... nobody does it with any intensity or enthusiasm, after all....