Fitness Friday: Knowing the Benefits to Warming Up Before You Work Out [VIDEO]

SARTELL -- This week in our "Fitness Friday" series on WJON, we learn how doing a warm up before your workout will help your body in different ways.

Warming up before your workout will not only limit injuries but prepare your body for the challenge ahead.

Nikki Wetstein is a Personal Trainer at Fitness Evolution in Sartell and St. Cloud. She says there are many other benefits to a warm up.

"It gets your heart rate up which pumps blood and oxygen to your muscles, which makes your muscles loose and prepares your mind and body for activity," says Wetstein.

She says a warm-up should be anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes and include some running or dynamic stretching.

"You want to make sure you do dynamic stretching and not static stretching. So anything that keeps your body moving such as running on a treadmill, squats, anything that will get the heart rate up," says Wetstein.

It's also important to keep your body loose during a workout. Wetstein says to make sure you keep moving in between your sets.

"You defiantly need to keep moving around during your workout, but you shouldn't stretch because you will lose the benefits of lifting," says Wetstein.

After your workout make sure you take a few minutes to cool down, by either walking or using a foam roller. This allows the body's heart rate to drop back to normal and prevent your muscles from cramping.