A warmup before an activity can comprise of many different things. It really depends on what it is you're trying to prepare the body for. A warmup for a yoga class will be different than a warmup for an explosive activity such as basketball. But, there are some general concepts that apply across the board.

First of all, you need to make sure your body is well rested, hydrated and fueled. This may not fall under your category of a warmup, but what is a warmup? Is it not a preparation for activity and movement of varying degrees of intensity? Do you drive your car without gas, a battery or water in the radiator? If you do I hope you've got strong legs and a sturdy back because your pushing that ride :)

Secondly, a thourough warmup should consist of dynamic stretching, not static stretching. This means that you should not hold any paticular stretch for a lengthy amount of time (longer than ten seconds). Dynamic stretching brings blood flow to the muscles and prepares the joints for movement by producing synovial fluid, allowing for smooth movement within the joints. Stand tall and pull the knee to the chest while balancing on the other leg engaging the glute. Take a step forward repeating this movement. Take your heel and pull it to your bottom, stretching the quadriceps keeping the knee in line with the hip. Repeat this movement while walking forward. Spread the feet apart and make sure your heels are flat on the ground and your feet are pointing straight ahead. Lunge to either side keeping your weight mostly in the heels, engaging the glutes as you stretch out the groin (adductors). These are just a few dynamic stretches you can do.

Lastly, it's not a bad idea to prepare your core muscles for work. Your core (hips, abdominal layers, glutes, lower back) are the link between upper and lower body. It is crucial that these are communicating with the brain and transferring energy from your feet all the way to the upper torso. If there is no communication taking place, energy leaks can occur forcing your body to compensate as well as disperse that energy to the joints, bones and other supporting structures causing stress. I'm not talking about crunches though. Planks, bird dogs, and bridges should suffice.

Enjoy your workouts people, but do your homework and prepare your body for movement. You will see improvements in your performance and in your recovery time.  More to follow.....