Save Time On Your Warm-up

A proper warm-up has multiple purposes. Done correctly it improves performance and reduces your risk of injury or cardiovascular event. But when done incorrectly it actually hinders performance and can result in injury.

Understanding how to perform a proper warm up is important. There is no one-size-fits-all approach but we’ll talk about some basic guidelines and examples depending on your goals and mode of exercise.

Why warm-up?

The primary goals of a proper warmup are to:

-increase body temperature
-elevate heart rate
-stimulate the neuromuscular system for the demands of the training
-create attentional focus to the task
-allow opportunity to improve skills

Fortunately tackling these 5 is much simpler than we realize. Let’s break them down further.

#1 Increase body temperature and blood flow.

You are physically warming up your body temperature, elevating your heart rate and increasing blood flow to muscles.

The result is improved:

-glycogen and carb utilization
-muscular force and power production
-muscle fiber electrical conduction

Simply put, the muscles are firing better and using fuel more efficiently.

Also, warmer joints mean thinner synovial fluid. With a texture similar to egg whites, it greases the joint. Thinner synovial fluid from a warm joint means less friction and lower injury risk.
​

#2 - Elevate the heart rate:

This prepares the cardiovascular system for the demands of upcoming exercise. Going from rest to full throttle puts the heart under increased stress which impairs performance and increases risk of a cardiac event.

Getting your heart rate 20-30 beats above baseline is a simple way to prepare it for better performance and reduce risk when the demands or training or sport challenge it.
​

#3 - Stimulate the neuromuscular system for training demands

Your nerves and muscles communicate with electrical signals. Your strength is the result of both the size of your muscle fibers and the nerve’s ability to fire those muscles efficiently. A proper warm up improves the efficiency of the specific movements you will train.

You want to be doing similar tasks to whatever you will be training:

If you will sprint, then jog as a warmup

If you are squatting, then squat to warm-up.

If you will be playing basketball and running, jumping and cutting, then doing each of these activities at a lower level could be part of the warmup.

Your neuromuscular system will benefit from task-specific drills to improve the efficiency and firing rate prior to the training session or competition.

​
​#4 -Create attentional focus to the task:

Pro athletes spend hours each week mentally preparing for competition. If they showed up 2 minutes before the game and laced up their shoes, they wouldn’t perform at their best.

A proper warmup provides the opportunity to clear the mind of distractions. You got cut off on the commute, work is stressful, and the youngest is teething at night. Whatever is bothering you, a warm-up can help to get your mind and body connected and ready for movement for the most efficient and effective workout. Attention to the task also helps avoid mistakes that could lead to injury.

​

#5 - An opportunity to improve your skill

You teach kids to drive in an empty parking lot because it’s a controlled environment. They need to master the basics. Your warmup provides an opportunity for more practice. When you lift hard, there is a tendency to lose focus and attention to detail. This is normal as fatigue sets in. But practice makes permanent. Your warmup should consist of lighter weights or slower movements that allow you to improve your skills. Whether it’s a jump shot or a bench press, attention to detail in your warm up will result in better execution both immediately and over the long term.

​

What to do?
​
You can read the rest of today's email on our substack.​

​

Talk to you soon,
​
Brett Boettcher
Brother2Brother

P.S. "Why can't dinosaurs clap their hands? Because they're extinct."

There are officially only 5 months left in 2024. With a sustainable goal to lose 1-2 lbs per week on average, you can lose 21-42 lbs by the end of the year.
​
As of this morning, our client "E" erased 7 years of weight gain in just over 3 months. We'll break down his progress next week.

​

If you'd like our help we've worked with hundreds of clients and will be with you every step of the way to guarantee accountability and success.

Click the link below to get the process started with a no-risk strategy call.

Book a call today!