Warming up prepares the body for physical activity by gradually increasing load on key systems over multiple stages. It starts with light movement and increases intensity, including coordination, stretching, and relaxation exercises. The stages progress from marching and jogging to more targeted joint and muscle warmups and stretches, followed by specialist exercises similar to the main activity but at lower intensity. Proper warm up provides physiological and performance benefits such as increased blood flow, flexibility, attention, and injury prevention.