The warm-up is a period of lighter exercise preceding the work out itself and should last for five to ten minutes for most healthy individuals. It should begin with low- to moderate-intensity exercise that gradually increases in intensity. Warming up slowly increases the internal temperature of your body while stretching improves your training performance, keeps you flexible, and helps reduce the possibility of an injury.
If higher intensity exercises are planned during the workout the end portion of your warm-up should include some brief higher-intensity exercise to prepare the body for the more intense elements of the workout. As a rule of thumb, the harder the workout and/or the older the individual, the longer the warm-up should be. However, the warm-up should not be so taxing that it creates fatigue that will hinder performance, especially when athletic demands must be met.
Some of the best exercises for warming up are jumping jacks, jump rope, or a short walk/jog before training. Another effective method of warming up your muscles is to perform light and easy movements with weights.
Some key areas that should be stretched include: the neck, triceps, hamstrings, the posterior chain, quads, and groin. When stretching out, keep in mind that all movements should be performed in a slow and controlled manner. try to hold your stretch for a minimum of 30secs and avoid all bouncing movements. you should feel mild tension on the muscle that is being stretched and remember to stay relaxed and focus on what you are doing.