Warm-Up
A warm up is a short period of exercise (usually cardiovascular in nature) that is performed before exercise. It is designed to gently prepare the muscles, joints, nerves and cardiovascular system for the more strenuous activity that awaits them. Warm-ups are usually tailored to the activity about to be performed, for example a gymnast would warm up differently to a rower.
Studies show that an effective warm-up can improve performance and reduce injury risks significantly.