Do not forget to Warm-up and Cool-down!

The most common mistake I see at the gym or when people tell me about their workout is the lack of attention to including a warm-up and warm-down in their routine.

Workouts should follow a basic plan including a warm-up, the routine, and the warm-down. Many people fail to follow this simple strategy and either skips the warm-up and/or the warm-down due to perceived time constraints. These oversights increase the risk of injuries; reduce the performance potential of the body as well as lessoning the effect of the recovery process.
Let’s talk Warm-up: The warm-up prepares the body for the upcoming demands of the program. Activating the appropriate core musculature, getting the blood flow to increase to the muscles, and allowing the cardiovascular system to adjust to the increasing demand will allow the body to perform at a higher level and sustain that level for a longer period of time. Skipping this vital part of the workout can increase your risk of musculoskeletal injuries and cardiovascular events. The recommendation is to do some light level of activity for 5-10 minutes followed by some dynamic flexibility exercises followed by some static stretching if tightness is still present.

At last the Warm-down: The warm-down is a critical part of the workout and is required for safety and recovery reasons. Doing some easy activities such as light biking or walking will suffice to assist the body in slowing down and redistributing the blood from the working muscles to the internal organs. If you do not allow this process to occur, you put yourself at risk for fainting and a potential cardiovascular event. If you do not warm-down after filling your large muscle groups with blood, the heart must pump the blood back to its normal distribution which taxes the heart. Following the light level activity it is recommended to perform some static (slow) stretching to release the tension built up in the muscular system. This also allows for greater flexibility and improved recovery for the following day.
Performing a warm-up and warm-down will assist you in reaching goals faster, improve the quality and quantity of your workout, and assist in reducing your risk of injury. So -- make time for them both!