I am not sure when the demise of warm-ups came about but there are so many instances where I see people moving right into their session with no preparation.
Maybe using their first exercise with some lighter weights as their warm-up for the day. But there is no real preparation. No joint movement, no energy, no rise in body temperature, no blood flow, no activation, nothing.
Well let’s get back to these dang warm-ups, but let’s make them effective. They don’t have to take a ton of time or be treacherous, the goal of the warm-up is to waste less time in the future dealing with pain or weakness.
So I want to go over 5 tips I use to create warm-ups that are efficient, effective, and actually get done!
Tip #1:
Find What You NEED
The point of the warm-up is to prepare us for the workout. So if we just come in and do 3 random exercises that have nothing to do with what we need then It’s a (almost) complete waste of time.
Figure out what areas you need to work on–> tight areas, painful areas, weak points, areas you want more work.
These will be the main aspects of your entire warm-up.
Let’s take me for example: For myself I have tight hips, some shoulder pain, plus I have weak hamstrings and upper back.
So, my warm-up will consist mainly of opening up my hips, doing exercises that help my shoulder feel and move well, and activate my hamstrings + upper back.
Tip #2:
Write It Out
Don’t just go after It, write It out. Have a real plan of what you need to do each session. This will not only save time but It will keep you on track of doing the things you need to do vs. the things you may want to do.
It’s much easier to skip this part of your work-out if it’s not written down!
Tip #3:
Do The Same Warm-Up Each Session
I debated putting this tip in here for a while, but I do think It can be another way to make sure It gets done.
Now, the warm-up can be even more effective if we target those exercises to your actual workout that day but that takes more time, more thinking, and more effort.
We want these warm-ups to be not only effective but efficient. So, if we get a good session planned out then we can follow that plan every single workout for the time being.
You will get It done faster and will have more practice to improve on your target areas with a very high frequency.
Tip #4
Think of The Benefits
The main reason warm-ups get skipped is because they are seen as a time sucker.
If you warm-up correctly you will not only have a better session that day, but as you begin to fix those target areas you will begin to have even more effective sessions as time goes on.
We have to see the true benefit of the things we do. It’s not a waste of time, It’s time spent improving what you will do the second you finish that last warm-up exercise.
Tip #5
Have a Time Limit
Give yourself a time cap so you know exactly what to expect. I usually say between 5-10 minutes is a nice window to get everything done.
After you come up with the exercises or areas you need to work on, figure out how much time you can spend on each one. Focusing on things that will be a bigger bang for your buck to make sure things are getting done in your time frame.
The more you do It, the more efficient you will become. In that case, you may even be able to add in another exercise or two over time and still fit in your time limit.
Template
1.) Foam Roll- Pick one area and go for about 30-40 seconds on each side
2.) Stretch- pick 1-2 areas that need to be opened up with a deep stretch
3.) Mobilize- Pick 2-3 joints you feel need to be mobilized (hips, shoulders, ankles, upper back)
4.) Activate- Pick 2-3 exercises that will target your weak points. Do 10-20 reps for two-three rounds of these exercises
5.) Excite- I put this in as optional. If you feel you need an extra boost before getting started or still need to get a sweat going, pick an exercise that will get your body MOVING. (Jumps or med ball throws)
What a warm-up may look like:
Foam Roll
-Inner thigh, 40 seconds each side
Deep Stretch
-Couch stretch, 40 seconds each side
-Thoracic Extension w/ weighted bar, 40 second hold
Mobilize
-90-90, 1 round of 6 reps each side
-Thoracic rotations, 1 round of 8 reps each side
Activate
-Band pullovers, 2×15-20
-Kettlebell swing, 2×25
Excite
I opted for some more stretching and mobilization so to save time I used kettlebell swings not only to activate but also to excite my body to get started.
Like I said above, It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out waste of time. Make It efficient and make It something you know will help you as time goes on.
In good health,
Jeff
