Skipping Warm Ups is Killing Your Gains
Almost a decade ago I started my fitness journey with bodyweight training. Back then, I underestimated the importance of warming up. As my passion grew, I pushed myself harder, but this eventually led to a knee injury due to inadequate warm-ups. This experience taught me a valuable lesson, and I do warm up most of the time since then.
Ever since I started warming up before my workouts, I saw huge progress in my performance and mental game. That really boosted my confidence in training, because I knew that I was doing it in a safe (at least safer) way.
Consistency is crucial in sports as you want to keep your body in shape and be able to do the particular sports with satisfactory proficiency.
What are we going into this time?
- The benefits of going out of your way and “priming” your body for the training ahead.
- How You can apply warm ups to your workouts!
THE BENEFITS:
Increased blood flow: Warming up increases blood flow to muscles, improving oxygen and nutrient delivery.
Enhanced flexibility and mobility: Warming up can improve flexibility and range of motion, reducing the risk of strains and pulls.
Reduced risk of injury. Research shows that warming up prior to training does reduce the odds of you getting injured. Warming up means getting your blood flowing in this case by doing some easy bodyweight or light weight exercise. Static stretching, however, hasn’t been proven to reduce risk of injury. I will go into detail about dynamic stretching.
Improved focus and concentration: A warm-up can help you mentally prepare for the workout, enhancing focus and concentration. Especially priming yourself for the specific muscles or exercises you plan to be doing in that workout.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE WARM-UPS
Here are some guidelines for how it is recommended to do warmups according to current science. You may use all or just part of them depending on your particular needs.
General warmup – just get the blood flowing and get a moderate sweat going for 5-10 minutes with your choice of cardio (e.g. jump rope, treadmill, stair climber). Literature recommends at 55-65% heart rate. (For young people ~100-120 bpm is an adequate target zone)
Specific warmup – get your joints through the full Range of Motion (ROM). Release your muscle tightness, e.g. with a foam roller. This one especially is optional.
Dynamic stretching – walking lunges, leg swings front back, leg swings side-side, step throughs + stretch, and others depending on your needs for the particular workout.
If you’re doing squats and/or deadlifts that day, you might want to do some deep squat and reach stretches for half a minute. Cossack squats are great for mobility as well.
Upper body warmup: Some exercises without equipment
- 10-15 arm circles,
- 10-15 arm swings.
Especially for weight training, bands are fantastic! I personally see them improve my muscle activation on push and pull days.
- 12-15 band pull aparts,
- 12-15 band/cable external rotations,
- 10-12 band/cable face pulls.
There are many other mobility exercises you can do here depending on your specific needs. This list is not exhaustive, and can be adjusted as you see fit.
Weights-specific warmup: Progressive pyramid. For any exercise that you do, be it squat, deadlift, bench press, a great way to ease into your heaviest set is by starting with the lightest weight. 3-4 sets before your working set are recommended. You go up in weight in medium increments, e.g. from 20kg to 60kg to 80 and finally to 100kg for, e.g. your deadlift working weight.
Final thoughts
Warming up is not just a suggestion, it’s a non-negotiable part of any effective workout routine. Don’t take just my word for it, as famous weightlifting professionals such as Mike Israetel (Renaissance Periodization) and Jeff Nippard also don’t skip out on this.
By taking a few extra minutes to prepare your body, you can significantly reduce your risk of injury, enhance your performance, and elevate your overall fitness experience.
Remember, a well-rounded warm-up routine should include both general and specific components. Prioritize dynamic stretches, gradually increase your heart rate, and activate the muscles you’ll be targeting.
Take your time with your fitness journey! Make it a habit, and reap the rewards of a healthier, stronger, and more resilient You!
P.s. a cookie for you for getting this far! Next week I plan to post about Hybrid Training entails.
-Alex