So Why Warm Up? - Joe Matthews

The warm-up is more important than people give it credit for. This is the phase of a training session that prepares your body and mind for the exercise you’re going to perform during the workout phase of the session.

Generally, a warm-up can be broken down into two parts: the general warm-up and the general specific warm-up.

The general warm-up can be some light cardio for 5–10 minutes that simply raises the heart rate, increases oxygenated blood flow around the body, aids in joint lubrication, and generally increases your body temperature. This could be done on the Echo Bike, rower, SkiErg, or a light jog.

The general specific warm-up is where the main workout preparation happens. Here you should aim to take the body through lightly loaded movement patterns that are similar to the ones it will be required to perform during the workout phase when under heavier loads and/or higher volume. It’s important to address both the lower and upper body, as well as your core. It could look something like this:

2 x 15 – adductor squeezes (glutes/adductors), kettlebell deadbugs (core), band pull-aparts (shoulders/back).

Videos of these movements, and many more done by Ben Griffin, can be found on the RealFITT Strength and Conditioning YouTube channel, so take a moment and check them out.

Always make time to warm up—even if you have to adjust due to time constraints, make sure you do something. The warm-up sets the tone for your session and gives you the best chance of optimal performance once the hard work starts.