Warm up to speed up
Do you feel sluggish and stiff when you start your workouts? Here's a simple way to get loose -- and have more stamina.
A study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that you can power up your muscles' performance with passive warmups (using heating pads or a hot shower) or active warmups (10 minutes on the stationary bike or mimicking -- less intensely -- your upcoming exercise by, for example, doing knee raises while walking or lifting light hand weights). And for every 1.8 F your muscle temperature rises, you boost your power and speed by 3.5%. Wow!
The advantage of active warmups is that they alert your nervous system to upcoming movement patterns. The researchers recommend that you do them until you start to sweat lightly. Then you're ready for a workout.
But if you have trouble even doing the warmups, it's time to get tested for exercise intolerance -- folks with obesity, Type 2 diabetes and inflammatory conditions are at risk. Your doctor may have you do a 6-minute walk test to see how far you can go. You can also have an exercise stress test that tracks your blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, and oxygen level or a cardiopulmonary exercise test that measures the depth and speed of your breaths.
If you're exercise intolerant, the Cleveland Clinic says eating more protein, getting enough vitamin D, losing weight and treating conditions that interfere with working out are smart moves. And to help boost your exercise capacity, try creating a personalized wellness plan at 4YOUngevity.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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