Warming up

[compleks]

Hey guys.
I was hoping you could help me out with a few questions.

I instruct various martial arts and fitness classes, and occasionally as part of the warm up I will get people doing various knee bends.

Basically, with the feet close together and your hand placed on your knees, then just running the knee through a gradually increasing range of motion. Then sometimes circling the knees, clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

I do this with most major joints (windmills with the shoulders, etc...), just to work them through their motions, get some blood flowing, help lubricate the joints and establish basic motor control. Mostly I do these activities with the children, the real reason being that it establishes some control over the class and gets everyone counting together.

So, I was wondering if anyone could provide me with some links to any studies / articles that have been done on the effectiveness of these motions as a warm up activity (in terms of benefits, dangers or anything else related). Specifically the knee bending (It's a long story as to why I'm actually asking).

Opinions, criticism and comments would be appreciated also.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.

[Linds]

Fast windmill arm circles aren't the best exercises... I do windmill circles with my riding kids when they are stretching.. but slowly and deliberately.  Shoulders aren't meant to go through that range of motion at high speeds.

Just a thought

[xxLorrainexx]

Try this site might be of some help
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/warm-up.php

[redtoblack]

I'm not sure about any specific sites that state the pros/cons of doing this, but one thing you might want to do prior to the stretching is a warm up.  Some kind of walking/slow jog to get the muscles and joints warmed up first.  You shouldn't stretch cold.


Jordan

[compleks]

Thanks for the comments.

I always get them warmed up first, and I never do any sort of static stretching before training.

Cheers.