What is the primary purpose of a General Warm Up?

• A. Increase core temperature
• B. Build muscle mass
• C. Improve sprint technique only
• D. Reduce heart rate

Answer: (A)

Raising the body's temperature is the main goal of a general warm-up. When muscles, tendons, and nerves are warmed, blood flow increases, enzyme activity improves, and nerve conduction speeds up, all of which help you perform with better power, speed, and coordination and reduce the risk of injury as you transition to more intense work. Building muscle mass comes from targeted resistance training over time, not just a warm-up. Improving sprint technique is about specific technique work, not the general, whole-body prep of a warm-up. And a warm-up raises heart rate gradually to prepare the body, rather than reducing it; the reduction happens during a cool-down after activity.