The Warm-up Spectrum (part 1)
Well, well, wel-come to the new blog series: Warm-up Essentials.
In this new series I’ll be breaking down an essentials-only warm-up for each of the big 4 lifts: back squat, deadlift (DL), bench press, overhead press (OHP). Before we dive into this series let’s talk about warm-ups.
There are two types of people when it comes to warm-ups;
The “leave nothing out” ones who spend 30 mins doing intricate routines with foam rolling, mobility flows & prep lifts…
The “my body can handle anything” ones who take a sip of water, do 2 bodyweight squats & maybe add in 1-2 warm-up sets of their first lift
Like most things in health & fitness (& life), falling somewhere in-between two extremes tends to be the best place to land. In the middle of this warm-up spectrum, you can take from both sides & make something purposeful & productive that doesn’t take up too much time.
Let’s call this an
“essentials only” warm-up-
An essentials-only warm-up checks the big boxes & leaves out the fluffy extras. It gets your blood flowing, joints prepped & helps you mentally “check in”. It sets you up for a solid workout without adding lots of time to your already busy day.
Generally an essentials only warm-up will include a few elements;
Full-body movement or low-intensity cardio
Mobility work & movement prep
Warm-up sets
Full-body movement / low-intensity cardio; 5-10 mins
To begin, opt for some type of full-body movement that starts to increase your heart rate & get your blood flowing. Most of the time this happens on a piece of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, etc.) but there are a lot of other options! Jumping rope, skipping, high knees/marches, side shuffles… heck, even a mini dance party could do the trick.
Note this doesn’t have to focus specifically on what’s to come in your lift; you can do incline walking even if it’s a bench day. This part is just about movement as a whole, we’ll get more & more specific as we move through the rest of the warm-up!
Mobility work; 1-2 exercises
Now your blood is moving & heart is pumping, look at what your primary lifts are for the day.
What joints are primarily moving in those lifts? The point of the joint prep / mobility work segment is to highlight any areas that need a little extra love before they take on load.
For bench / overhead press day, you’d probably want to love on your shoulders, t-spine & wrists.
For deadlift day you’re going to focus on hips & priming your hinge.
For squatting you likely will hit on hips & ankles.
A lot of this segment is going to be unique to the lifter, their anatomy & needs.
Movement prep; 1-2 exercises
We get even more specific here- maybe incorporating bodyweight or light-weight lifts with different portions emphasized. Typically I incorporate some type of core work here, too [deadbug & plank variations are my go-to’s]. Consider how your body will be moving, what areas you need to be mindful in your lift, where you need create control & stability.
It’s not uncommon for there to be crossover between this segment & the previous. Remember when it comes to exercise/fitness, there really aren’t hard & fast rules to follow. Rather, it’s more about gathering guidelines & sorting out what it means for you as an individual! So don’t stress about picking out the *perfect* exercises for each section - the goal is simply to warm-up well.
Warm-up Sets; number varies
This is one of the simpler pieces; take your primary lift & do some warm-up sets!
You might choose bodyweight or light loads here & the same lift or a slightly modified version to get started. Keep it simple! Focus on control & tempo. Make sure to take an appropriate amount of rest between warm-up sets so you don’t go into working sets already fatigued.
These warm-up sets should help you zone in on what’s to come & mentally “check in” to your lift.
To sum it up; Keep it simple & get your body moving. Focus on primary joints & movement patterns. Mentally “check in”.
Coming soon;?
Warm-up essentials; overhead press
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Hey, I’m Kirsi!
Certified Personal Trainer & online fitness coach
I help women build strength & move better with simple programming & comprehensive coaching.
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