Getting off the couch and into an exercise program? Great! But before you get the urge to run a marathon, you'll need to develop a warm-up routine.

You may be psyched to pump iron and burn calories, but you could do more damage than good if you jump right into it without taking the time to bring your body up to speed.

Some people think a warm-up is just a bit of bending and stretching before you work out. But there's more to warming up than that. A warm-up should include a progressive aerobic activity that uses the muscles you will be exercising.

Why warm up? You need to take five to 10 minutes to raise the core temperature of your body and your muscles. This prepares the muscles and joints for more intense activity. Warm-ups also help to:

• Improve the elasticity of your muscles
• Promote circulation
• Give you better muscle control
• Reduce muscle fatigue

A general warm-up can be any light, continuous movements using the large muscle groups. This might be marching or jogging in place. Your warm-up should produce a little sweat, but not leave you feeling fatigued. Some people opt to include flexibility or stretching exercises after they have finished the aerobic activity.

For fitness or weight loss
Before you start any fitness program, talk to your doctor about what activity is right for you. To get fit and lose weight, keep these points in mind:

• Concentrate on aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, jogging and cycling. The exertion should be continuous and use large muscle groups.
• Try to work out at least 10 to 15 minutes to start. Add another minute every one or two workouts until you reach at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
• Choose an exercise that you enjoy. Change your workout from time to time to prevent boredom and relapse.

When pressed for time, the warm-up period is usually the first thing to go. Don't let this happen to you. Warming up is as important as the exercise itself. It makes your workout more efficient, more productive and most importantly, safer.

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External Source American Council on Exercise. Warm up to work out. . Accessed December 16, 2008

This article was reviewed and updated 08-01-2009.