Pre - workout warm-up is an essential component of a safe and effective workout. A good warm-up should not be difficult or painful, but it should increase your body temperature and provide blood flow to the muscles that you will use during the workout. This is different from post-workout stretching, which is usually used to increase the range of motion of the joint and help with post-workout recovery. The following dynamic warm-up can be used as a good starting point before practicing most sports.