The *PERFECT* Warm Up

Why do you warm up? How long is your warm up? What are you focusing on when you warm up? Are you mindlessly going through the same routine every time? Many people are stuck in the PVC around the world or stretching routine and don’t recognize the importance of a good warm up. Likely this is simply because they have never had anyone teach them what a good warm up looks or feels like and therefore have not felt the impact of being good and warm. Personally, my warm ups typically take 15-20 minutes of continuous movement (usually 3-4 rounds of 3-6 exercises) and I am sweeeaaattting by the time I am done. Granted, some days there is barely time to work out at all, let alone spend much time on a warm up - but this should be the exception, not the rule. Have you ever noticed that your second or third or fourth round of a lift or metcon feels  better than the first? This is because your muscles are FINALLY warming up. Now just imagine if you felt that good from the very start of your workout? This.Is.Why.We.Warm.Up! A good warm up has a few components and things to consider when performing a warm up, including but not limited to:

1. What muscles will you be working during your workout? 

   • A warm up should quite literally warm up the tissues (muscles) you will be working. This isn’t just so you feel better during your workout but it is doing what is called “motor priming” - basically getting your nerves and muscles prepared to do some hard work.

2. What kind of workout will you be doing?

   • If you’re going to be doing heavy lifting, your warm up will look different than if you’re going for a long run or doing a yoga class. Talk to me or a coach for specific questions on specific movements!

3. Can you incorporate various styles of movements to cover more in your warm up?

   • Do some isometrics, sprinkle in some dynamic movements that might touch on active mobility, add a splash of slow stability and/or unilateral movements, and do something in the plyometric or more explosive style of exercises. There’s no specific rule for this part but if you hit all of those, chances are your body will feel much more prepared for whatever it is you’re going to ask it to do.

4. Most important and easiest thing to think about: what movements are you doing?

   • DO THOSE MOVEMENTS! The BEST warm up for any movement is the movement itself. Start with body weight or light weight and ease your body into doing whatever you’re going to ask it to do at a higher level later on.

Here is a tip! Start by keeping a log of exercises that relate to common lifts/movements you’re doing in the gym. Keep 1-3 movements you like for squatting that you can apply to back squat/front squat/squat cleans or snatches/goblet squat, etc. Keep 1-3 movements you like for deadlift, for cleaning, snatching, etc. If you start to build a little library, suddenly warm ups will basically build themselves.

Finally, if you’re in the group fitness world, most classes don’t have 20 minutes planned into the class for a really kick ass warm up. If this is the case for you, first remember it’s because typically the programming is designed for you to get the most out of only an hour of class; second, you can always the time to get to the gym early and do a little warming up of your own! You can still chat with your friends, jam to some tunes, drink your pre-workout, etc but going into your workout will likely feel so much better if you prime those muscles! If you don’t know where to go with this or what exercises to start doing, I am here for you!! Schedule some time with me and we can get you set up for success!

Get moving, get sweaty, get your body ready.