Health Tip: Warm Up Before Exercise

(HealthDay News) -- If you're hesitant to spend a few extra minutes warming up before a workout, you may be missing out on major health benefits.

The American Council on Exercise explains these advantages of a pre-workout warmup:

• Helps your core body temperature rise, increasing efficiency of calories you burn.
• Leads to more vigorous and faster muscle contractions.
• Boosts rate of oxygen delivery to the muscles by raising your metabolic rate.
• Improves muscle elasticity, reducing risk of injury and improving muscle control.
• Helps your body's energy system adjust more easily to exercise.