How to Warm Up Part 1

Sadly, many people's idea of a warm up today consists of performing a few minutes on the bike or treadmill, statically stretching for a minute or two, followed by maybe a few light sets of benching before performing their heavy work sets. What eventually happens to these individuals? Soon enough they are on the operating table being cut up for a torn pec. An effective warm up would have gone a long way in preventing this situation from arising.

But how do you go about performing a proper warm up? What should it entail? How long should it last? Should you perform static stretching? Hopefully, by the end of this 3 part series I will have answered those questions and then some.

Briefly, I want to initially address the question of how long a warm up session should last. Generally speaking, in most cases, a full warm up should last around 10-15 minutes. That's not to say that it always needs to be that length. If you are pressed for time, performing a quick 5 minute warm up focusing on key exercises that directly relate to the work you are about to perform is acceptable. On the other end of the spectrum, some times the warm up could last the entire workout. This would happen in the scenario in which you feel you need to deload for the day (due to fatigue, accumulated stress, physical break down, etc.) thus need to give your body a break. This workout would turn into a 30-60min workout focusing on general physical preparedness, recovery, flexibility, mobility, and any rehab/prehab you feel you need to perform. Regardless, 95% of the time your, warm up should last around 10-15 minutes. 

    

    Next the topic of static stretching should be brought up. As one of the most debated issues in the fitness, strength, and performance field, there are a lot of opinions on the matter, of which I have mine. Static stretching's benefit is an increased range of motion. This is highly beneficial and should be a sought after affect for many athletes. This benefit can lead to an athlete being able to get the most out of every exercise as well as achieve the necessary positions called upon them during competitive play.  However, static stretching's negative affect dictates when you should perform it.

    

     Many studies have now shown that static stretching reduces power output. Because of this, an athlete shouldn't perform it before a workout, in most cases. Doing so will negatively affect performance in the workout session. However, there are also times when it is actually beneficial to the athlete. Before a squat session for example, it would be smart to statically stretch the hip flexors to allow for sitting back properly in the squat and thus achieving the proper depth, optimizing performance. Stretching of the chest and anterior deltoids could also be done. This would allow for the proper positioning of the arms on the bar. Outside of those circumstances however, I advise static stretching to be performed after the workout, preferably later on in the day of on an off day to reap the benefits of an improved range of motion.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series where I will get into what exactly should be included in a proper warm up and how to properly construct it.

No Nonsense Physical Preparedness,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

513-571-2950