Myth: Work up a sweat

If you intend to go from absolute rest to all- out exertion in a few seconds, then follow some basic rules.

Work up a sweat before a contest

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If you intend to go from absolute rest to all- out exertion in a few seconds, this could cause a failure in the circulation to the heart, which might be dangerous if your heart is weak.

If you step up your activities gradually and play a game that is not strenuous, then working up a sweat is useless and could actually be disadvantageous if your activity is an endurance event. Warm-ups are okay for sprinters who want to practice their starts.

Any skill warm-ups, as distinguished from sweat warm-ups, are okay. But distance runners are going to need all the energy they have, and they are going to need to stay cool for as long as they can.

There are two reasons why prolonged warm-ups and working up a sweat are counterproductive, they deplete nutritional stores, and the body heat they create saps the energy needed for the event.

(Source: Webhealthcenter.com)