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The Importance of Warming Up Before Strength Training
BY Alvin Netto
Warming up before strength training is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of a workout routine. A proper warm-up prepares your body for the demands of weightlifting, enhances performance, and reduces any risk of injury.
In this article, we’ll explore why warming up is essential and outline an effective warm-up routine.
Why Warming Up Matters
Warming up raises your heart rate, increasing blood flow to your muscles and improving oxygen delivery. This helps your muscles function more efficiently and prepares them for exertion. Additionally, dynamic stretches and mobility drills improve the range of motion in your joints, allowing for better movement patterns during lifts. A proper warm-up also stimulates the neuromuscular system, improving muscle coordination and reaction time. Cold, stiff muscles are more prone to strains and tears, so gradually increasing your muscle temperature makes them more pliable and resistant to injury.
Finally, warming up allows you to transition into workout mode mentally, helping you focus on your form and execution.
Components of an Effective Warm-Up
An effective warm-up should last between 10 to 15 minutes and be structured to progressively prepare the body for the workout ahead. The first phase involves a general warm-up, which consists of light cardio exercises such as jogging, jumping jacks, or cycling for about 5 to 7 minutes. This helps elevate the heart rate, increase body temperature, and improve circulation to the muscles.
Next, dynamic stretching and mobility work should be performed for approximately 5 minutes. Exercises like shoulder circles, side bend, thoracic rotation and squat to hamstrings stretch help loosen up joints and enhance flexibility, ensuring a full range of motion during strength training movements. This video is an example of dynamic warm up drills you can do before your workout.
The third phase focuses on muscle activation, which lasts around 3 to 5 minutes. This includes movements such as bodyweight squats, glute bridges, resistance band exercises, and core activation drills. These exercises target key muscles, reinforcing proper movement patterns and preparing them for heavier loads.
Finally, specific warm-up sets should be incorporated to further prime the muscles for the main workout. Performing lighter sets of the main lifts—such as squats, deadlifts, or bench press—at 50-60% of the working weight allows the body to adapt to the upcoming workload while reinforcing good technique. This video is exactly how I warm up for my squat workout day.
Watch the video below for a demonstration of a full-body warm-up for strength training.
Exercises Breakdown
The following exercises enhance mobility, flexibility, and muscle activation, ensuring a fully prepared body before lifting:
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Back Rack Stretch: This stretch involves placing a barbell across your upper back and gently pulling your elbows forward to open up the shoulders and thoracic spine. It helps improve posture and mobility for pressing movements.
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Barbell Deep Squat Hold: Holding a barbell lightly on your back, descend into a deep squat and hold the position. This exercise increases ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility, helping to achieve a more stable squat.
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Shoulder Semi-Circle (Plate or Dumbbell): Using a light plate or dumbbell, move your arms in a semi-circular motion overhead to activate the shoulders and improve range of motion, which is essential for overhead pressing exercises.
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Squat to Rotation: Begin in a deep squat position, then rotate your torso to one side while extending an arm upward. This movement improves spinal mobility and enhances rotation control during compound lifts.
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Hanging on Bar: Hanging from a pull-up bar helps decompress the spine, improve grip strength, and activate the shoulders. This exercise is particularly beneficial before performing pull-ups or deadlifts.
Skipping a proper warm-up is a missed opportunity to maximize your strength training potential. By investing just a few extra minutes, you not only enhance your performance and efficiency but also build a foundation for long-term progress. Prioritizing warm-ups reduces injury risks, sharpens focus, and primes your body for peak exertion—ensuring that every workout leads you closer to your fitness goals.
