Regardless of the individual, the warm-up is an essential component of any training session. It is when the body is physically prepared to withstand the rigors of ensuing training. Another key attribute to the warm-up is it also provides a mental preparation.

Whether static stretching or dynamic stretching are used to prep the athlete can be extremely controversial – with dynamic stretching holding superiority and static stretching considered detrimental in the minds of most. However, closer inspection reveals a very different picture. Present research shows there actually may be a greater benefit when the two are used in tandem.