A lot of times, when I post my workouts, I don't include my warming up or cooling down exercises. After reading the book Ready to Run, I have begun every run with at least a 5 minute walk and couch stretch. My cool down is at least another 5 minute walk, couch stretch, and some mobility exercises to ultimately help my knee/IT band. Doing all of this has really helped! I am not experiencing pulsating pain in my IT band like I used too! In fact, if I do feel warmness or throbbing, it is now only in the knee area- which is a good thing. At least it is centralized and not going to other parts of my body. Still working on getting back to 100% but I'd like to cautiously say I am about halfway there. BIG IMPROVEMENT!
Even though I was slow to join the whole "warming up and cooling down" train when it came to running, I have always warmed up before a weight training session. I don't always include it in the little images I create to show my workout, but believe me, I do it!
When you're lifting heavy, it's not safe to just jump right into it. You need to get your blood flowing and let your muscles know what you are about to ask them to do.
Here are some examples of exercises you can do to provide your body with a dynamic warm up before you lift:
Jumping Jacks
Jump Rope
Leg Swings
Shoulder Rotations
Arm Circles
Air Squats
Lunges
Push Ups
I am sure there is more to add to the list! Any ideas?
After your dynamic warm up, if you are lifting with heavy weights, be sure to do a couple light sets before you do your heavy sets. When I bench, I always do a set with just the bar before I start adding weight.
I know some people think lifting is time consuming to begin with, and then adding a warm up on top of that just drags it out even longer. But my guess is that if you are reading this, you want to be an athlete forever- healthy, strong, and injury free. To do that, we have to be nice to our bodies.
Be nice to your body. Warm up before you lift!
What kind of warming up do you do before you lift? Share your routine and give us some ideas!
I usually do jumping jacks before lifting, and then I do one to two warmup sets.
ReplyDeleteAdam usually does five minutes of continuous jump rope and then two to three warmup sets. One time I dared him to do 10 minutes straight of jumping jacks and he did it! I was impressed because I usually get bored of them after about 30 jacks!
Wow that is a lot of jumping jacks. I too get bored with them! But in my competitive nature, if Paul dared me to do them for 10 minutes I prob would. :)
DeleteHahah yep that's adam too! Towards the end I told him he wasn't raising his arms all the way up and he got so mad! :D
DeleteHahaha!
DeleteThat long of doing jumping jacks would have me peeing a bit:)
DeleteHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteI have gotten much better about warming up than I used to be both with running and strength work!!
ReplyDeleteNIce!
DeleteI definitely do not lift as often as you but when I do, I sit on the stationary bike for 10-15 minutes first. I went to the gym once with a friend who didn't warm up and I felt cold and stiff the entire time we worked out. :(
ReplyDelete