Warmup...

SK07 · 5 Jul 2007 at 01:16

Okay im just wondering for a warmup what is best? At the moment I have a pretty good 4 day variation of weights each day for different targets of areas on the body.

Now I usually do 5 mins on the rower on the max setting just to get the heart going and body working then start my program but is there something else that should be done if doing a certain exercise?

The Mad Rapper · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:30

SK07 said:
Okay im just wondering for a warmup what is best? At the moment I have a pretty good 4 day variation of weights each day for different targets of areas on the body.

Now I usually do 5 mins on the rower on the max setting just to get the heart going and body working then start my program but is there something else that should be done if doing a certain exercise?

You should do a little stretching, it'll just loosen you up and lessen the chances of an injury. Nothing silly, 5 mins or so ought to be enough.

Chong Warrior · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:19

I always walk the mile to my gym at a fast pace, this does a good job of getting the heart going a little. Soon as I get in the gym I'll do a few bodyweight exercises and dynamic stretching for about 10 sets of 10 reps in total, takes me a couple of minutes at most. Nothing more strenuous than that as anymore can be detrimental to strength as you'll just be filling muscles with lactic acid.

Best way to warmup for weights is to do the exercises. When lifting always do light sets of what you're about to do. Jogging on a treadmill or peddling on a bike isn't preparing your body for the stress of heavy squatting for example!

Whatever I'm going to be lifting I'll do about 10 reps with just the bar just to get the right muscles firing. Then with 50% of what I'm about to lift 6 reps, 75% for 4 reps and 90% for 2 reps. No rest between them, just as long as it takes to change the weight. Then I'm onto the working sets, works well

SK07 · 5 Jul 2007 at 17:00

Alright cheers. But say once done a bit of stretching and on the bench press lifting the bar with no weights attached to get going.

What about dumbells? would you just start off on a pair of 8's or something? (doing chest press for example or pec flies).

DanH84 · 5 Jul 2007 at 22:05

just something you find nice and easy, say something you think you could do 20+ reps with.

Also bear in mind that a warm up is quite an individual thing, tailor it to what feels right to you, for instance Chongs' warm up would leave me quite tired so mine is much more trunctuated.

I like a brisk walk down to the gym, <2mins high intensity cardio, then perform the exercise with just the bar for 10 reps then 5 reps at about 60/75%weight then into my working reps.

whatever works for you really as long as they've done some work then you should be fine, you just don't want to go in off the street and start banging out 100% effort cold.