Warm-up routines are an integral part of any exercise regimen. They serve as a crucial preparatory phase before engaging in intense lifting sessions, providing numerous benefits that optimize performance and reduce the risk of injuries.
In this 2-part blog series, we will first explore the advantages of warm-ups in general and draw upon relevant scientific literature to support their significance. In our next post, we will dive more into the components of a warm-up routine and put everything into practical application.
The anti-climatic truth
However, before we touch on any specifics, if you’re reading this hoping to find a template that you can blindly follow, then this guide may not be for you. The anti-climatic truth is, most warm-up routines available online (even those by top-tier strength athletes) are largely based on personal experiences or anecdotal evidence. They’re doing what feels good for them, which may not be the case for you. I’d love to share the perfect warm-up routine with you, but honestly, I don’t think anyone has that nailed it down yet. Ideas, practices and research still need to be questioned and tested.
Therefore, rather than sharing a generic routine, the purpose of this blog post is to clarify what a useful warm-up routine should look like and, you can craft one suitable & effective for you using existing research. Remember, your warm-up should be as deliberate as your training program!
Why should I bother warming up?
Well, it is easy for me to simply state that warming up helps to prime our bodies for heavy lifts, enhance our performance and prevent injuries. But what exactly does the existing research evidence say?
Physiological Benefits
From a physiological standpoint, warming up helps to increase your body temperature and heart rate. This allows for better oxygenation of muscles, which in turn improves the contractility and efficiency of muscles and tendons. Research also found that warming up helps to increase the sensitivity of nerve receptors and the speed of nerve impulses which means that the nervous system can respond better under load during training (Shellock & Prentice, 1985).
Additionally, compound movements such as the squat, bench and deadlift demand a wide range of motion from various joints. Incorporating dynamic stretching exercises that specifically target major muscle groups and joints can improve joint mobility and flexibility. This, in turn, allows gym-goers to perform the compound movements with the proper technique with improved mobility. Unlike static stretching (i.e. holding a specific position that creates tension in the muscle for 30 – 60 seconds), dynamic stretching (i.e. short active movements that move limbs through their full range of motion) will not cause a decrease in strength or performance and is actually shown to increase in force, power, sprints and jumps (Opplert & Babault., 2017). Dynamic stretching also appears to be equally effective as static stretching in improving the ROMs of the area you are working on (De Weijer et al., 2003). However, with that being said, the effectiveness of stretching to acquire specific ROMs to fit into specific positions with better performance varies as it is highly individualised to each body condition and the selected activity you like to do after.
In the sporting context, warm-ups also offer powerlifters, weightlifters and crossfitters an opportunity to mentally prepare for their training or competition. Engaging in a structured warm-up routine allows athletes to focus their attention on proper technique, establish a mind-muscle connection, and enter a state of optimal mental readiness. While limited research directly investigates the mental benefits of warm-ups in athletes, studies in other sports disciplines suggest that a well-designed warm-up routine can enhance concentration, arousal levels, and overall mental preparedness (McGowan et al., 2015).
Do warm-ups objectively improve performance?
While there are several proposed physiological benefits, do warm-ups objectively improve sporting performance in general? In a systematic review conducted by Fradkin, Zazryn & Smoliga (2010), they found that warming up across a variety of sports improved performance 79% of the time. The reason why it was not higher than 79% was that there were studies that did not include aspects specific to the tasks to be performed, and completion of the warm-up was not of a long enough duration for an increase in muscle temperature to occur. The authors also shared that when athletes warm up, the exercises used should focus on the body segments that will be used later in the session and should not be too intense in nature as that will cause fatigue. If you want your warm-up to improve your performance, it has to be specific and efficient!
Role of warm-ups in injury prevention
Then does warming up really help with injury prevention? In a systematic review by McCrary, Ackermann & Halaki (2015), they found no studies of upper body warm-up with injury prevention outcomes. Similarly, Fradkin, Gabbe & Cameron (2006) also concluded that there is insufficient evidence to endorse warming up prior to physical activity to prevent injury among athletes. This basically means that no one really knows the mechanism behind how warm-ups can prevent injury. However, there has to be a reason why so many experts would identify warming up as an integral part of an injury prevention plan.
Conclusion
My guess is that most experts are betting on the physiological benefits to minimise injury. As you warm up, your heart rate increases, your range of motion improves, your muscles that stabilize the prime movers are activated, your motor control/body awareness is enhanced, and you are mentally more prepared to tackle your training (McGowan et al., 2015). Another way to understand this logically would be by comparing these two scenarios:
- Pulling your top set warm (Warmed up)
- Pulling your top set cold (No warming up)
If your coach tells you that Scenario B is more ideal for injury prevention than Scenario A, please consider hiring a new coach. The sudden exposure to maximal loads will significantly increase your risk of overload injuries.
If warming up is so useful, then why do so many gym-goers overlook it? Well, there is currently no specific research set out to understand this behaviour, but from anecdotal evidence, it is often overlooked because…
1) people are lazy (or want to save time) and unaware of its benefits,
2) people get away without warming up,
3) health & fitness ‘gurus’ heavily emphasize the routines they’re doing (underrepresenting the importance of warming up)
4) some assume that a “good” warm-up is often lengthy and inefficient
Personally, I view warming up as an investment in the longevity of any athlete’s physical health and that is why it should be a priority.
Take Home Message/Key Points
Warm-up routines tailored for lifters provide a multitude of physiological advantages which optimizes performance.
These benefits include:
- Increased muscle temperature and blood flow
- Improved joint mobility and flexibility
- Enhanced neural activation
- Improved mental readiness
By dedicating time to warm-up exercises, gym go-ers can maximize their physical and mental readiness, leading to more productive training sessions and improved performance outcomes.
References
De Weijer, V. C., Gorniak, G. C., & Shamus, E. (2003). The effect of static stretch and warm-up exercise on hamstring length over the course of 24 hours. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 33(12), 727-733. doi:10.2519/jospt.2003.33.12.727
Fradkin, A., Gabbe, B., & Cameron, P. (2006). Does warming up prevent injury in sport? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 9(3), 214-220. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2006.03.026
Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(1), 140-148. doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181c643a0
McCrary, J. M., Ackermann, B. J., & Halaki, M. (2015). A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(14), 935-942. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2014-094228
McGowan, C. J., Pyne, D. B., Thompson, K. G., & Rattray, B. (2015). Warm-up strategies for sport and exercise: Mechanisms and applications. Sports Medicine, 45(11), 1523-1546. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0376-x
Opplert, J., & Babault, N. (2017). Acute effects of dynamic stretching on muscle flexibility and performance: An analysis of the current literature. Sports Medicine, 48(2), 299-325. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0797-9
Shellock, F. G., & Prentice, W. E. (1985). Warming-up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports-related injuries. Sports Medicine, 2(4), 267-278. doi:10.2165/00007256-198502040-00004
