communication happens very quickly, and a delay of milliseconds can be the difference between a torn ACL—or not. Simple warm-up exercises to prime the nervous system will enhance com- munication between the brain and body. This facilitates faster and more accurate responses, better coordination, improved balance, and quicker decision-making. As a result, performance output imme- diately improves, reaction time shrinks, and risk of injury is reduced. Whether you are patrolling, instruct- ing, shoveling, walking across snow or ice, or having a recreational ski day, your body must be prepared to react quickly with coordinated movements in unpredictable conditions—from guests maneuvering around you to changing snow conditions and emergencies that require fast action. EXCUSES, EXCUSES (AND WHY TO AVOID THEM) Of course, there are many excuses for avoiding a proper warm-up. There are just as many explanations for why you should reject them. A few examples: “I’ll just take an easy green or blue run as a warm-up.” While your first run may get your heart rate up and increase circulation, it will not activate the smaller stabi- lizing muscles needed to support your body and movements. You will not open your full range of motion to handle an unexpected fall or extreme reach. Quick reactions will take longer on the first few runs. All of this will leave you more vulnerable to injury during your day on the hill. “I don’t have any pain, so I don’t need to warm up.” Small imbalances accumulate over time. Movement patterns degrade. Joints wear unevenly. A small tweak can become chronic pain; an awkward land- ing may result in a torn ACL. Don’t wait until you start feeling pain to take warm- ups seriously. Five minutes now beats five months of rehab later. “Warm-ups are just for older people. I’ve never warmed up before, and I’ve always been fine.” Age-related changes increase the risk of injury. After about 25 years, age-relat- ed changes start setting in, and after 40
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Liftie Doug doesn’t warm-up before going to work and hurts his back shoveling. Don’t do what Doug does.
include simple exercises like high knees, arm circles, balancing on one foot, lung- es, and core activation drills, involves a series of functional movements that pre- pare your entire body for load, impact, and operating on the snow. It does more than just “make you feel less cold.” A good warm-up activates muscles and wakes up nerves, literally changing how your muscles, joints, and nervous system function, and affects whether your body will wear out sooner or later. Here’s what actually happens inside your body when you warm up: Heart rate increases. Active movement increases heart rate. This improves circulation, oxygen delivery to muscles, and raises tissue temperature. That last point is key: Warmer muscles and tendons are more pliable, more flex- ible, and more tolerant of load. Muscles activate. Large muscle groups are easily activated with gener- al movement, but small and/or weaker muscles tend to remain inactive until they are specifically targeted with an activation drill. Smaller muscles are important for keeping joints stable and the body in safe alignment. When these
muscles are under-utilized, movement patterns become altered, compensations may occur, and muscle imbalance grad- ually worsens. This leads to a higher risk of acute and chronic injury. A simple warm-up routine will activate large and small muscle groups needed to keep your body balanced, supported, and strong on uneven, mountainous terrain. Joints become more mobile. Guiding and stretching joints through full range of motion not only helps you feel looser but helps maintain cartilage health and joint stability. Joint move- ment stimulates production of synovi- al fluid, which cushions the joints and delivers nutrients to cartilage. This slows degenerative changes, relieves pain, and enhances the capacity of the joint to tol- erate load. Priming of the nervous system. Sensory information is constantly flood- ing into your brain through nerves. The central nervous system quickly pro- cesses the information, decides what is important and what action to take, and then sends signals out through nerves, telling specific muscles to contract. This neuromuscular and neurocognitive
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