Warming up for Lifting Weights

The warm ups that the trainers provide before every workout do a very good job of raising core body temperature, preparing tissues for more intense efforts, and providing some skill practice. However, once the general systemic warm up is done, specific preparation targeted toward the prescribed movement is still required. Mike's workouts often start with a strength lift. Choosing the correct weights, sets, and repetitions to prepare the body for heavy efforts will make for a better workout and better performance.

Warm up sets accomplish three primary goals. They increase blood flow to the necessary tissues that will be used for the lift and provide an opportunity to gently cue sore muscles into action. Performing the movements with light, non-challenging weights allows the trainee to make adjustments to form and reacquaint themselves with the lift. Lastly, warmups prepare the central nervous system to handle heavy weights and to activate the primary movers and support musculature needed for a successful lift.

Here are the basics on how to structure your lifting warm ups:

• Warm up sets are important. Jumping right into working weights is a bad idea that will increase your chances of injury. Don't have time for warm up sets? Then you don't have time to lift.
• Shoot for somewhere around three to four warm up sets prior to your work sets.
• Before beginning the workout you should have an idea of how much weight you intend to lift for your work sets. Pick your warm up weights so that they become increasingly heavy, but still below your working weights for the day.
• The jumps in weight between each warm up set should be approximately equal to one another.
• Lighter warm up sets will have more repetitions. As the weights move up, the repetitions should go down. The last warm up set will often just consist of one or two repetitions.
• Warm ups should not be seriously taxing. Work sets are where you focus your effort and make gains. Warm ups exist solely to support that goal.

There are a few more details to consider. In most cases, the first warm up set should be done with an empty 45 pound bar for a set of five repetitions, even if you will be lifting considerably more than that. Exceptions to this will be deadlifts or other pulls from the floor that benefit from the spacing the bumper plates provide. Also, if your work sets for shoulder press or bench press will be between 50 to 70 pounds, doing your first warm up at 45 pounds will be too heavy. Pick up some light dumbbells, or one of the lighter bars for the first set. We have a poster above the dumbbell rack by the rowers taken from Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength detailing some sample schemes. Check it out and adapt it to your needs.

Although three to four warm ups are standard, there is nothing wrong with adding to that. Squatting 400 pounds may require a few more steps up to that weight. It is also possible to do too many warm up sets, so that they interfere with performance of work sets. As with all things, balance is key.