Warm-up, conditioning and cool-down

A warm-up is short activity before intense exercise: it raises heart rate, blood flow, muscle temperature and breathing, reduces joint-fluid viscosity, stretches muscles and prevents injury. It builds gradually ('pulse raiser', joint mobility, stretching); about 15-20 minutes up to 70 per cent of maximal heart rate is suggested, raising body temperature by 2-3 degrees.

General warm-up: light rhythmic activity with large muscles (walking, jogging, skipping). Specific warm-up: movements of the sport itself (lay-ups in basketball, service practice in tennis, gliding in shot put, bar work in weightlifting).

Methods: exercise, massage (tone and recovery), a hot water bath, and a small hot drink. Tips: start with a slow run, avoid tiring, increase intensity gradually, end with short sprints, reaching 120-140 beats a minute.

Sports conditioning complements training: strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, speed and power, specific to the sport and the athlete, and it helps prevent injury.

Cool-down (limber down): light exercise and stretching after hard activity; it brings heart rate and breathing down gradually, prevents fainting from blood pooling in the legs, clears lactic acid and carbon dioxide, and reduces soreness.