Before we start, how I would describe the most optimal warm up is simple. It is the one which prepares you to perform at the highest level for your specific task or workout, in the least amount of time, while reducing the likelihood of injury. If you do not understand the basics of how to structure a proper warm up or skip it all together, because it’s “takes too much time from the workout”– this article is for you.
Make the time and do it
We tend to make time for things that are easy or things that we feel are important — that’s just human nature. When it comes to warming-up properly for a workout, it is rather simple and easily learnable. The reason many skip out is they do not understand the importance or effectiveness a proper warm up can have. There are many reasons as stated in the intro to warm-up properly, the most important being to reduce the likelihood of injury while increasing performance.
How much time you ask?
Let’s assume you are a non injured, mobile subject, 10 to 15 minutes for general population should suffice (if you are injured that’s a whole different ball game…).. In under 15 minutes, one can do light cardio for blood-flow, static stretching for increased mobility, and muscle activation to prep for a workout.
“But then I’d only have 45 minutes to exercise…“
Oh don’t you worry young grasshopper — this will be addressed. Just read on my friend, read on…
Specify for your body
If you are in your mid-forty’s and you sit, folded over for 8 hours of the day, with previous injury, your warmup needs will be different (and more necessary) than if you are an active sixteen year old with the power of youth and more resilient joints on your side.
I generally warm up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio or some yoga (sometimes both if I’ve got the time that day) just to get warm, increase blood-flow, and lubricate my joints. After this, I do a little static stretching for main key areas including: my neck, pec & shoulders, hip flexors, and hamstrings — all areas where our body becomes very tight from sitting, driving, and other common daily routines. My warm up can be under 10 minutes, on less intense workout days (and if I’m tight on time), otherwise 10-20 minutes on days I’m not in any rush (followed by a workout which averages 40 minutes in duration). Since my car accident in March 2021, and recently getting back to training jiu-jitsu on the regular, warming up and strengthening around my neck has become higher priority for me.
Key side-note:
The heavier and more intense my workout will be, the more time I take to warm up. On a day where I intend to squat heavy for 4 repetitions, I will do some include some plank variations to engage my core as well as focus on stimulating my glutes (key areas if you want to avoid low back or hip injuries especially) and I’ll include warm up sets where I work my way up rather than jump straight into my maximum weight on that day. For the average gym-goer or for lighter, less intense workout days, my warm up can be fully done in 10 minutes before going straight into the rest of the workout.
Pickup the pace of your workouts following the warm-up
During your workout, how much rest do you take between each exercise? Unless you are training max strength or power, try taking 90 seconds between exercises– then you can tell me “how little 45 minutes is…”.
Part of the reason you may be tempted to skip out on warmups is because you only have 45 minutes to an hour to workout and you don’t want to “waste” time. The vast majority of my own workouts are under 1 hour, including a warm up and cool-down stretches. If you are not feeling your workout as being effective, increase your intensity, progressively lift heavier, and shorten your rest times — you will feel it and realize that an hour for your exercise routine is plenty. Some of my best workouts are on days I only have 40 minutes, because I am more diligent on taking shorter rest times while keeping higher pace throughout the workout.
Specify for your activity
As you get more advanced and begin to lift heavier, focus on specific muscle groups within your workouts, increase technicality or intensity, or if you are involved in a competitive sport — your warm-up demands will also increase and more specific warmups towards your activity become highly advantageous (and more necessary).
For beginners and full-body workouts a general warm-up outline may look like the following:
- 5 minutes of cardio (skipping, cycling, elliptical, or treadmill for example)
- 5-10 minutes of Static stretching or a yoga flow routine
- 1-2 sets of core and glute focused exercises (i.e. plank variations, band abductions, squats, lunges)
For intermediate level on split routines, and higher demand workouts, your warm-up may look similar to the following:
- 5 minutes of cardio or foam rolling to increase blood-flow and muscle elasticity
- 5-10 minutes of Static stretching — focused more on muscles you will be using that day (and/or mix of dynamic stretches if doing a circuit day)
- 1-2 sets of muscle activation exercises — core, glutes, and upper body exercises (if doing upper), lower body exercises (if doing lower), or dynamic exercises (if doing circuit or sport specific workouts
- 1-2 sets of warm up sets if heavy strength training– if squatting heavy for example, include a warm up set or 2 before going to the weight of your “work sets”
For advanced level workout or competition, here is an example of what the warmup may look like:
- 5-10 minutes of mental prep (visualization or neural activation)
- 5-10 minutes of cardio (skipping, cycling, elliptical, or treadmill for example)
- 5-10 minutes of static stretching and/or foam rolling
- 5 minutes of dynamic stretches representing movements similar to the upcoming workout
- 1-2 sets of core, glute, and specific muscle activation exercises for muscles that will be most utilized during the upcoming workout
Utilize Warm up sets
If you are still not convinced about warming up , at the very least, take 5 minutes to warm up areas that are tight that you will use on that day (i.e. pec stretch and shoulder rotations before benching) and utilize warm up sets. I know guys that squat over 600lb that start their first set with the bar and work their way up. If you read this article, do none of this and get injured in your workout while lifting, I won’t say I told you so, but I told you so…
Closing thoughts
Although part of my job as a coach is to encourage people to push themselves past their perceived limitations in order for them to progress further — my main focus is always injury prevention. If you get injured, you cannot train as effectively and depending on the severity you could put yourself out for weeks, months, even years. Make the time to warm up to increase performance while preparing your body to execute exercises with more optimal positioning and avoid avoidable injury at all costs…