WARM-UP AEROBIC ACTIVITIES

WHAT ARE THE 3 STAGES OF A WORKOUT?

1. Initial Part (Warm-up)

• Ready the body for what’s to come.
2. Main Part (Main Workout)
• Perform your main workout.
3. Final Part (Cool-down)
• Bring your body back to a resting state.

WARM-UP

• A warm-up is usually performed before participating in technical sports or exercising.

• A warm-up generally consists of a gradual increase in intensity in physical activity (pulse raiser),
a joint mobility exercise, stretching and a sport related activity.

WHY WARM-UP?

Warm-up is perhaps the most important part of any workout for the following reasons:

1. It prepares the muscles and lubricates the joints for easier mobility.
2. It accelerates the heart rate to get the body ready for movements that require high heart rate.
3. It increases body temperature, so that the muscles, tendons, and ligaments will be warmer and more
pliable when contracting during workout.
4. It improves blood flow to the muscles to help supply oxygen and glucose required for energy
production more efficiently.
5. It boosts blood flow to the heart to help lessen potential difficulty for exercise-induced cardiac
problems.
6. It prepares the cardiovascular system to meet the demands of the workout.
7. Reduces the risk of injury.

Here are some examples of warm-up exercises that you may use to get started.

1. Combine light jogging with skipping, side stepping, carioca, high knees, and butt kicks. It is
important for the body to move in multidirectional patterns prior to workout.
2. Stretch major muscle groups first. Hold the stretch for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Stretching should
never be painful. Perform each stretch 2 to 3 times.
3. Stretch sport-specific groups next. Example: Tennis players would want to stretch their wrists and
shoulders.
4. Start with basic skills to help the body know what is going to be expected of it. Example: For
basketball, start with dribbling or shooting drills. For soccer and hockey, start with ball and puck
handling drills. For volleyball, do passing drills.
 Other activities that may be used for warm-up include the following:

AEROBIC EXERCISES

1. Jumping Jack

a. Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides.

b. Raise your arms simultaneously above your head and jump up just
enough to spread out your feet wide.

c. Without pausing, quickly repeat steps a and b.

2. Hand Crossover

a. Raise your left arm, with your palm facing behind you and your
thumb pointing up.

b. Hold your right arm low, with your palm facing behind you and
your thumb pointing down.

c. Hold this position, so that your arms form a straight line and a 45-
degree angle with the floor.

d. Bring your arms across your body as if in a swapping position, only

keep the palm of each hand facing the same direction as in the
starting position.

e. Alternate back and forth, gradually increasing the speed of the

crossovers, so that you are loosely and quickly swinging your arms
across your body. Do all your reps, then switch sides and repeat.

3. Bent Over Reach to Sky

a. Keep your lower back naturally arched. Bend at your hips and
knees and lower your torso until it is almost parallel to the floor.

b. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, palms
facing each other.

c. Rotate your body to the right as you reach as high as you can with
your right arm.

d. Pause then return and reverse the movement to your left. That is
one rep.
4. Shoulder Circles

a. Stand tall with your feet placed shoulder-width apart.

b. Without moving any other part of your body, roll your shoulders
backward in a circular motion 10 times.

5. Arm Circles

a. Stand tall with your arms at your sides, so that they are parallel to
the floor.

b. Start making small circles with your arms progressing to bigger

circles. Do 10 reps backward.

6. Elbow-to-Foot Lunge

a. Stand tall with your arms at your sides.

b. Lunge forward with your right leg.

c. As you lunge, lean forward at your hips and place your left hand on
the floor, so that it is even with your right foot.

d. Place your right elbow next to the instep of your right foot, and hold
for 2 seconds.

e. Next rotate your torso up and to the right and reach as high as you
can with your right hand.

7. Inch Worm

a. Stand tall with your legs straight and bend over and touch the floor.

b. Keeping your legs straight, walk your hands forward.

c. Take tiny steps to walk your feet back to your hands. That is one
repetition.
8. Lateral Slide

a. Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width.

b. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until
your hips are just slightly higher than your knees.

c. Shuffle to your left by taking a step with your left foot then with
your right foot. Slide about 10 feet.

d. Slide back to your right.

e. Repeat for 30 seconds or as prescribed.

9. Walking Leg Cradle

a. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your
sides.

b. Step forward with your left leg as you lift your right knee. Grasp
your right knee with your right hand and grasp your right ankle with
your left hand.

c. Stand tall while you gently pull your right leg toward your chest.

d. Release your leg, take three steps forward, and repeat by raising
your left knee. Continue to alternate back and forth.

10. Walking Knee Hug

a. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your
sides.

b. Step forward with your left leg, bend your knee, and lean forward
slightly at your hips.

c. Lift your right knee toward your chest, grasping it with both hands
just below your kneecap. Then pull it as close to the middle of your
chest as you can while you stand up tall.

d. Release your leg, take three steps forward, and repeat by raising
your left knee. Continue to alternate back and forth.
11. Walking Heel to Behind

a. Stand tall with your arms at your sides.

b. Step forward with your left leg. Then lift your right ankle toward
your behind, grasping it with your right hand.

c. Pull your ankle as close to your behind as you can.

d. Release your ankle, take three steps forward, and repeat by raising
your left ankle.

12. Walking High Kicks

a. Stand tall with your arms at your sides.

b. Keeping your knee straight, kick your left leg up, reaching it with
your right arm as you simultaneously take a step forward.

c. As soon as your left foot touches the floor, repeat the movement
with your right leg and left arm. Alternate back and forth.

13. Ankle Circles

a. Stand tall on one foot and raise your left thigh until it is parallel to
the floor. Clasp your hands under

b. your left knee to support your leg.

c. Without moving your lower leg, rotate your ankle clockwise. Each
circle is one repetition.

d. Complete all your reps, and then do the same number in a

counterclockwise direction. Repeat with your right leg

Remember that intensity and time may vary according to the physical condition of the participants. You are
considered warmed up if you feel that your temperature increases, sweat builds up, and you start to move
smoothly.
PUSH

Guidelines for Aerobic Activities:

1. Schedule Regular Sessions:

• Make aerobic activities a regular part of your weekly schedule, aiming for at least three times per
week. This frequency allows for significant improvements in your conditioning.
2. Include Rest and Recovery:
• Rest and recovery are essential components of conditioning. To prevent fatigue and injuries,
alternate between hard and easy days.
3. Avoid Overexertion:
• Do not engage in vigorous activities more than five times a week to avoid cumulative fatigue and
potential muscle, joint, and bone injuries.

Make the aerobic activities that you have chosen a regular part of your weekly schedule, say, at least three
times per week. At this pace you can get more significant improvements in your conditioning. Also
remember that rest and recovery are also part of your conditioning. Hence it is recommended to alternate
your activities to hard and easy days and avoid too vigorous activity that exceeds 5 times a week. If you do,
you may suffer from cumulative fatigue and muscle, joint, and bone injuries.

Your aerobic activities may vary in intensity.

• Low Intensity - (Light)

• Moderate Intensity

• High Intensity (Vigorous)

You can find your exercise intensity by using the talk test, the type of activity, or your target heart rate. Use
the method that is best for you.

MEASURING AEROBIC INTENSITY

According to Exercise Is Medicine Philippines (EIMP), there are a number of ways to measure intensity.
Some methods are easier to use but are generally less objective, while others are more objective but may
require additional equipment or simple calculations. Examples of these methods are checking the heart rate,
RPE or Rate of Perception, Vo2 or knowing the aerobic capacity and METS or Metabolic Equivalents.

The least objective but easiest measure of intensity is the "talk test." This test determines whether an
individual is able to engage in prolonged talking and singing while performing the activity.

The table below provides an overview of some ways to measure exercise intensity.
Type of Activity

The type of activity that you do can also tell how hard you are exercising.

Moderate aerobic activity

1. Walk briskly.

2. Cycle briskly (about 30 kilometers an hour).

3. Shoot baskets.

4. Play golf without using a cart.

5. Swim leisurely.

Vigorous aerobic activity

1. Jog or run.

2. Cycle fast (about 60 kilometers an hour).

3. Hike

4. Play soccer.

5. Swim moderately to hard.

Moderate activity is safe for most people. But it has always been a good idea to talk to your doctor before
becoming more active, especially if you have not been very active or have health problems.
Target Heart Rate

Another way to know how hard you are exercising is to use your target heart rate. This is a percentage of
your maximum heart rate. One way to find your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. Once
you know your maximum heart rate, you can find your target heart rate for moderate and vigorous aerobic
activities.

Cool Down

Just as it is important to warm up and prepare for the exercise, it is equally important to cool down properly.
A cool down should involve gentle rhythmic movements and stretching. It is important for the following
reasons:

1. It gradually decreases body temperature which prevents a sudden drop in temperature. Your body
temperature increases especially with cardiovascular activity.

2. It realigns working muscles which prevents a long-term reduction. Contracting muscles often
shorten and need to be returned to their resting length to avoid a long-term reduction in flexibility
and muscle tightness.

3. It reduces the onset of post-exercise soreness and helps prevent post-exercise stiffness in muscles.

4. It encourages blood flow to the heart. During exercise blood is diverted to the working muscles. A
sudden stop during intense cardiovascular exercise can make you feel lightheaded as the blood is
diverted away from the heart and brain.

5. It helps rid the body of waste products. A greater flow of blood through the working muscles allows
waste products to be removed from the body.

6. It is relaxing. It allows you to reassess your workout and have a few quiet moments to yourself
before getting on with your day.

Here are some useful tips in cooling down.

1. Do light jogging. You always want to end how you started.

2. Lightly stretch the major muscle groups. This lets the muscles know that you are done using them.
Repeat the stretching regimen you used prior to the activity.
 PERFORMANCE TASK

Activity Instructions: Warm-Up Creation

Task: Students will create their own short warm-up routines based on the given criteria and guidelines.

Procedure:

1. Creation: Each student will design a warmup routine that includes exercises targeting major mus
cle groups.

2. Presentation: Students will take turns leading their warm-up activities for the class.

3. Development: This activity will help develop leadership and communication skills.

Criteria for Grading (Total: 100 points):

1. Clarity of Instructions (25 points):

• Are the warm-up instructions clear and easy to follow?

2. Variety of Exercises (25 points):

• Does the routine include a variety of exercises targeting major muscle groups?

3. Leadership and Presentation (20 points):

• Is the student confident and effective in leading the class?

• Are communication skills and leadership qualities displayed?

4. Creativity and Engagement (20 points):

• Is the routine creative and engaging for the class?

• Does it motivate and involve all participants?

5. Overall Effectiveness (10 points):

• Does the routine effectively prepare the class for physical activity?