Warming Up is Cool!
Before any bout of high intensity physical activity (classes at P10), it is recommended that you warm up. The warm up has a variety of benefits some of which include priming the muscles and metabolism for movement as well as reducing the risk of injury. Priming the muscles and metabolism for movement translates to better lifts and a greater increase in caloric expenditure (weight loss). What better time to start warming up regularly to increase calories burned during your workout than an 8-Week Physique contest?
If warming up is so important, why don’t we have a dedicated warm up? Well, we sort of do. The monitors read “working sets” under the “FOCUS” portion of our program because you could definitely perform a couple of warm up sets before you start loading the barbell with the weight you hit last week. A warm up set (or two) at a lower intensity is a perfect way to warm up for a high intensity lift because you’re working with the very muscles you’re about to stress under heavier loads. The muscles that are about to work really hard get to practice round to “wake up” in a low stakes environment. The body recognizes that its about to be put under stress and the nervous system starts firing in an effort to get your muscles moving, this is what makes your lifts feel better or “smoother” as you progress through your working sets. Its a hightened ability to “engage” the muscle. The muscles moving need oxygen so blood starts pumping towards the moving muscles increasing heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature, which is what causes more calories to be burned as you workout.
The reason the warm up is not more specific than that, is because there are a variety of ways to get a warm up done. Some light mobility work is sometimes necessary for muscle activation if you’re someone who tends to be stiff, although deep stretching is not recommended. Taking the same example from earlier, you could warm up for squats without using a barbell. Body weight squats, lunges, banded lunges, walking, or the classic, bike for a few minutes are also good alternatives. Generally speaking, anything that gets your heart pumping and body temperature up is better than nothing. Ideally, you want whatever you do as a warm up to translate to your main or first lift. You wouldn’t warm up for squats by doing push ups, but it would still be better than loading 85% of your 1RM and just giving it a go.
So what is the ideal warm up? Different people will have different opinions and of course, the activity you’re participating in will also play a role in what an ideal warm up is, but here is what I try to do before working out.
Treadmill/Bike - at least 3-5min
Mobility/Activation - depends
Warm-up Sets - can be anywhere from 1-3 sets, again just depends
My warm up depends on how much time I have, what is feeling stiff/sore, anything body mechanics I want to prime before going under load. Lets say I’m going to the example class mentioned above. I would come in and walk for a few minutes. I could be ready to go after that but maybe I my hip is feeling stiff or “funny” in which case I would grab a band and knockout a couple of slow banded squats or clam shells, to open up my hips a little bit. I would then start doing sets of squats at increasingly heavier weights until I reached a “working” weight. While working my way up the weight ladder, I would ensure to try and “feel” my core and glutes engaging through out the movement, and make sure I don’t rock forward on to my toes. The little things that are harder to think about when under a heavy barbell.
Warming up is cool! It can help you hit bigger or more controlled lifts, both of which will help gaining muscle and strength while burning more calories. As we get deeper into this 8-Week Physique competition, and perhaps beyond, consider coming in and warming up before really getting into the groove of the workout. It’s a small investment of time and effort than can maximize your gains.
From behind the front desk,
Jerry
