Cold Weather, Warm Start: Why Warming Up Matters

As the weather cools down, our motivation to move can drop with the temperature—but staying active through the colder months is essential. Year-round exercise helps maintain strength, balance, activity tolerance, and overall quality of life.

One of the best ways to support your exercise routine, especially in cooler conditions, is to always include a proper warm-up.

What is a Warm-Up?

A warm-up is a short, low-intensity activity performed before your main workout. Its goal is to gradually prepare your body (and mind) for more intense physical activity by increasing:²

• Heart rate
• Blood flow
• Muscle temperature
• Neuromuscular coordination

How Do Warm-Ups Benefit Me?

Warm-ups don’t just help you “loosen up” — they can actually boost performance, optimize your physiology, and potentially reduce injury risk. 

1. Boosting Performance

A systematic review of 32 studies across a range of sports (cycling, running, swimming, and more) found that in 79% of cases, warm-ups improved performance. In some situations, performance increased by up to 20%².

When structured effectively, warm-ups can:

• Enhance physical readiness
• Improve focus and execution of athletic tasks
• Prime your muscles and nervous system for what’s coming next

2. Optimizing Physiology

Warming up helps your body function more efficiently by improving key physiological responses:⁸

• Mechanical power increases by 3.5%-6.3%
• Muscle fiber recruitment improves by 5.9%-8.5%

An increase in body temperature offers several additional benefits:⁶

• Muscles receive more oxygen as your blood releases it more easily
• Blood flow increases, delivering vital nutrients and energy
• Muscles become less stiff and move more fluidly
• Nerve receptors become more responsive, and nerve signals travel faster

Together, these changes help prepare your body for smooth, strong, and safe movement. 

3. Reducing Risk of Injury

The evidence on stretching alone for injury prevention is mixed. A broad review found¹:

• Little support for static or dynamic stretching alone reducing overall injury risk
• However, static stretching may reduce muscle and tendon injuries in activities like running.

Longer-term flexibility training also improves balance, which can help lower the risk of falls — a key concern for many, especially older adults.¹

4. Supporting Physical & Mental Readiness

Warm-ups don’t just get your body moving — they help prepare your mind too. 

Research shows that warming up can:^3,5,7

• Serve as a mental cue to help transition your body into focus mode
• Enhance physiological readiness
• Improve mood, confidence, and focus
• Increase enjoyment of physical activity

In other words, a warm-up gets your body and brain working as a team. 

Dynamic vs Static Stretching

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves controlled, movement-based exercises that mimic the motions of your workout. It has been shown to:²

• Improve joint range of motion
• Increase muscle flexibility, force production, and temperature
• Boost nerve conduction velocity and motor unit recruitment
• Elevate heart rate and circulation

Because of these benefits, dynamic stretching is now the preferred method for warming up, especially before higher-intensity activities.

Static Stretching

While not harmful, static stretching (holding a stretch without movement) is less effective before activity. It is better suited for the cool-down phase or long-term flexibility work.

Structure Matters: How to Warm-up Properly

A well-designed warm-up should be:⁸

• 5–10 minutes for low-intensity activity (e.g., walking, yoga)
• 10–15 minutes for moderate to vigorous activity (e.g., strength training, running)⁹

Recommended warm-up flow:²

1. Start with gentle, pain-free movement (e.g., brisk walking, light cardio)
2. Progress to mobility and dynamic stretches (e.g., arm swings, leg circles, lunges)
3. Finish with sport- or activity-specific movements (e.g., bodyweight squats, air punches)

Warm-ups should be tailored to your body, goals, and any pre-existing injuries. Focus on controlled technique and stay pain-free throughout.

Ready to Move Smarter?

Including a warm-up in your exercise routine is one of the simplest ways to improve your performance, reduce injury risk, and feel more prepared to move—especially in colder weather.

Need help designing the right warm-up for you? Want to improve technique or reduce fall risk?

Contact LYL today to create a personalized warm-up plan that meets your unique needs.

Sources:

1. Behm, D. G., Kay, A. D., Trajano, G. S., Alizadeh, S., & Blazevich, A. J. (2021). Effects of stretching on injury risk reduction and balance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 24(2), 106–116.
2. Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(1), 140–148. 
3. Hammami, A., Gaamouri, N., Aloui, G., Shephard, R. J., & Souissi, N. (2022). Cognitive and physical effects of warm-up on young soccer players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 4106.