Hey Everyone,
Today I want to share with you a good question about warming up for your workouts. But first I have a casting call to make. The Hit Documentary Show X-weighted on slice network is looking for families that are looking to lose weight. If you know anyone that is looking to lose weight and has at least one child that also needs to lose weight, let them know about this offer and I will personally offer to train them for free while they are on the show. Family obesity is a growing issue, that I am increasingly growing more passionate about. The more people I can help the better.

Ok so now on to the Q&A

Q: Rob, you frequently mention warming up before you work out. In person you talked about a general and specific warm up, can you explain the differences and how a warm up should be done?

 A: A general warm up is basically any modality (usually cardio) that will work up a sweat and get the circulation moving. A specific warm up is movement patterns that specifically mimic the exercises you are about to perform or are the exact same exercises you are about to perform only at lighter intensities. A warm up can greatly increase your performance in your work out. The whole concept of a warm up is to prepare the body for the task set before it. Without proper preparation, you leave yourself vulnerable to injury, low performance, and early fatigue.  In my opinion a warm up needs to be specific rather than just general. A general warm up will get the blood going, but the nervous system still doesn’t know that it needs to lift a heavy weight, or run really fast, or jump really high. With your nervous system still asleep, your first set of each movement will pretty much be a waste, and I hate wasted time. Next time you work out, make sure to warm up specifically.

I thought since you’ve read the basic principles behind the warm up, I would give specific examples to help you choose the best ways to warm up for your particular activity.

 The 3 Step Warm Up

Step 1: General Warm up 2 – 5 minutes on cardio equipment or light jogging/brisk walking. Get your heart rate up above normal, a mild sweat going and slightly heavier breathing.

Step 2: Key Stretches – if you have been assessed or know what muscles are chronically tight make sure you release these muscles through active stretching before you work out. Reasons for this step are beyond this article but will be addressed in another article

Step 3: Spacific Warm Up
 Cardio: If you are about to do some cardiovascular exercises then do the exact same exercise at a lighter capacity. For Example: Run/Walk on treadmill program – complete a few warm up intervals of run walk at 50 – 70% capacity.

 For Weights: Choose 3 – 6 of the exercises you are about to do including pushing pulling and squatting movement patterns and complete 2 sets in a light circuit format to engage your nervous system and keep your muscles warm. If you are lifting really heavy weights (1 – 5 reps max) start with 50% of the load and work your way up to the heavy load by adding 10 – 20% each warm up set. these heavier loads that means 2 – 3 warm up sets.

 

Note: It’s also a good idea to do cool down sets or a mini cool down circuit to essentially unload the nervous system.