STRENGTH TRAINING: WARM-UP

A warm-up should always be individualized for the individual’s goals and the upcoming session. Prioritize your needs and preferences over the perfect routine, just keep in mind that as athletes we tend towards tightness and imbalance, making the warm up that much more important!  

The goal of your warm up is to elevate your core temp and prime the muscles for the work ahead. It’s not intended to break a sweat or make the muscles burn. A solid warm-up is 10-15 minutes long, and could include several or all of the following elements:


  1. Soft Tissue Work – goal is to encourage blood flow and range of motion
  2. Dynamic Mobility Movements – goal is to engage the nervous system and encourage range of motion
  3. Muscle Activation – goal is to prime the pump for the muscles needed for upcoming work
  4. CNS activation – goal is to stimulate the central nervous system for balance or fast twitch movements
  5. Low Intensity Cardio  – the goal is to increase core body temp
  6. Breathwork – goal is to engage the nervous system
  7. Corrective Exercises – goal is to address any injuries 
  8. Unloaded Movement prep – goal is to connect with form and work through the upcoming exercise

Soft Tissue Care

  • Most often foam rolling, but can also include percussion gun, voodoo flossing, or any type of manual therapy to break adhesions and optimize muscle function. 
  • 30-60 seconds per muscle group – focusing on any problem areas or the muscles to be worked in upcoming session. Combine deep breathing with soft tissue care. 
  • If this takes time away from your lifting, it can be done in the evening or anytime – just don’t skip it! 

Dynamic Mobility

  • Dynamic mobility or dynamic stretching moves a muscle or joint through an entire range of motion, as opposed to holding a static stretch. 
  • Keep movements slow, controlled and smooth, not ballistic or with accelleration.    
  • Examples include cat cow, walking lunges, arm swings, leg swings, torso twists, high knees, air squats, hip spin-ups or half-kneeling hip flexor mobilization. 

Muscle Activation

  • Dynamic mobility or dynamic stretching moves a muscle or joint through an entire range of motion, as opposed to holding a static stretch. 
  • Keep movements slow, controlled and smooth, not ballistic or with accelleration.    
  • Examples include cat cow, walking lunges, arm swings, leg swings, torso twists, high knees, air squats, hip spin-ups or half-kneeling hip flexor mobilization. 

CNS Activation

  • 5-10 minutes of low intensity steady state cardio is sufficient. However, if you have an easy run or bike on the schedule, this is a great place to tuck it in. 
  • Any type of cardio is great, just use caution to keep it easy. The goal is to get the body warm, not to create fatigue. 
  • If you do not have access to any equipment, just a few mintues of walking and dynamic movement will suffice. 

Low Intensity Cardio

  • 5-10 minutes of low intensity steady state cardio is sufficient. However, if you have an easy run or bike on the schedule, this is a great place to tuck it in.
  • Any type of cardio is great, just use caution to keep it easy. The goal is to get the body warm, not to create fatigue.
  • If you do not have access to any equipment, just a few mintues of walking and dynamic movement will suffice. This becomes more important in colder temperatures.

Breathwork

  • Warming up your breath can help gradually increase your heart rate.  
  • Any type of cardio is great, just use caution to keep it easy. The goal is to get the body warm, not to create fatigue. 
  • If you do not have access to any equipment, just a few mintues of walking and dynamic movement will suffice. 

Corrective Exercise

  • 5-10 minutes of low intensity steady state cardio is sufficient. However, if you have an easy run or bike on the schedule, this is a great place to tuck it in. 
  • Any type of cardio is great, just use caution to keep it easy. The goal is to get the body warm, not to create fatigue. 
  • If you do not have access to any equipment, just a few mintues of walking and dynamic movement will suffice. 

Unloaded Movement Prep

  • 5-10 minutes of low intensity steady state cardio is sufficient. However, if you have an easy run or bike on the schedule, this is a great place to tuck it in. 
  • Any type of cardio is great, just use caution to keep it easy. The goal is to get the body warm, not to create fatigue. 
  • If you do not have access to any equipment, just a few mintues of walking and dynamic movement will suffice. 

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