WARM-UP AND STRETCHING

Whether you are a weekend warrior or a highly skilled athlete warm-up and stretching should be a part of your workout routine. A good warm-up and stretching routine can have several benefits for the athletes that include:

Reduced chance of injuries to muscles, joints, and tendons
Reduce muscle soreness
Reduce muscle tension
Enhance physical fitness

The warm-up is done to increase the body core temperature prior to stretching. It is not a good idea to stretch without raising your body temperature. Doing some light jogging, jumping rope, etc. for about five minutes can do this. Once you have done your warm-up it is time to stretch.
The best way to stretch is stretch all the major muscle groups. Some sports and activities don’t require use of all the major muscle groups but it is a good idea to get in the habit of stretching all the major muscle groups. Start with the neck and work your down to the shoulders and upper body.
After stretching the upper body work on the lower body, which should include the hamstrings, quadriceps, groins, and calves. After doing all of these stretches you should be ready to into your sport or activity, whether a weekend warrior or a highly skilled athlete.