Let’s be real, we’ve all been guilty of skipping a warmup from time-to-time. And while it might not have negatively impacted your workout, all it takes is one time of ditching your warmup to get injured. Adopting a solid warmup routine is crucial when it comes to preparing your body to work out since it primes your muscles for activity. Without warming up, you not only risk injury but you also get less from your workouts because you’re lacking range of motion and might not be able to lift as much if your muscles are tight and/or stiff.A warmup activates the stretch reflex, essentially telling your muscles that they need to “turn on.”Lifting weights require lengthening and shortening of muscles, and these mini exercises get your body ready for that. The stretch reflex is intended to protect your muscles from being pulled too far and tearing, so in addition to optimizing muscle production, you are also helping prevent injury.Before you start hauling iron around the gym, perform with these warm-up moves that can help you prepare for the squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and more.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
The Best Warmup for Squats
Perform stationary running butt kicks to actively stretch the quads and get the blood flowing through your lower extremities. Do 3 to 5 rounds for 20 seconds with 20 seconds rest each round.
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The Best Warmups for Deadlifts and Good Mornings
Warm up with stationary walking high-knee grabs to prepare your hips, glutes, and legs to perform. Perform 10 knee grabs each side, rest for 30 seconds, and perform 3 to 5 total rounds.SEE ALSO: Watch Our Good Morning Video
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The Best Warmups for Shoulder Raises and Overhead Presses
Start with active mobility pecs and shoulder movements by doing large arm circles. Take the arms from waist to overhead in height, keeping yours arms stretched out to the side, make circles.Circle 10 times going forward and 10 backwards. Then repeat 3 to 5 times to really prepare your upper body. SEE ALSO: The Ultimate Arm Workout
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The Best Warmups for Bench Presses and Dips
The arm circles are good for these exercises too, but here is a twist on the movement to help prepare your chest muscles to move. Keep your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, take your arms back so they’re in line with your shoulders and you form a T-shape, and then bring them forward again. Use controlled speed during this movement.Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 20 seconds and perform 4 to 6 rounds.
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The Best Warmups for Incline Barbell Presses and Bent Over Lateral Raises
Grab a light resistance band and perform these two warm-up movements to prepare your shoulder joints for action. Before beginning, anchor a resistance band at elbow height while standing with your arms to your sides.Internal Rotation: Start out with your right arm bent to 90 degrees at the elbow, with a rolled up towel between your elbow and body, keeping your arm in place and standing next to the anchored band with the band in your hand. Keeping your elbow bent at 90 degrees holding the towel and elbow in place, rotate your hand in toward your belly button so you feel resistance with the band and then return to the starting position.External Rotation: Start out with your right arm bent to 90 degrees at the elbow, with a rolled- up towel between your elbow and body, keep your arm in place. Grab the resistance band and stand facing so if you pulled the band across your body there would be resistance. Keeping your elbow bent at 90 degrees, holding the towel in place with your elbow, rotate your hand out to the side and then return to the starting position. To visualize the external rotation, it’s like showing someone your inside coat lining while keeping your elbow next to your side. Perform 3 sets, 10 reps in each direction, on each arm with light resistance.SEE ALSO: The Best Full Shoulder Workout Routine
Let’s be real, we’ve all been guilty of skipping a warmup from time-to-time. And while it might not have negatively impacted your workout, all it takes is one time of ditching your warmup to get injured. Adopting a solid warmup routine is crucial when it comes to preparing your body to work out since it primes your muscles for activity. Without warming up, you not only risk injury but you also get less from your workouts because you’re lacking range of motion and might not be able to lift as much if your muscles are tight and/or stiff.
A warmup activates the stretch reflex, essentially telling your muscles that they need to “turn on.”
Lifting weights require lengthening and shortening of muscles, and these mini exercises get your body ready for that. The stretch reflex is intended to protect your muscles from being pulled too far and tearing, so in addition to optimizing muscle production, you are also helping prevent injury.
Before you start hauling iron around the gym, perform with these warm-up moves that can help you prepare for the squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and more.
The Best Warmup for Squats
Perform stationary running butt kicks to actively stretch the quads and get the blood flowing through your lower extremities.
Do 3 to 5 rounds for 20 seconds with 20 seconds rest each round.
The Best Warmups for Deadlifts and Good Mornings
Warm up with stationary walking high-knee grabs to prepare your hips, glutes, and legs to perform.
Perform 10 knee grabs each side, rest for 30 seconds, and perform 3 to 5 total rounds.
The Best Warmups for Shoulder Raises and Overhead Presses
Start with active mobility pecs and shoulder movements by doing large arm circles. Take the arms from waist to overhead in height, keeping yours arms stretched out to the side, make circles.
Circle 10 times going forward and 10 backwards. Then repeat 3 to 5 times to really prepare your upper body.
The arm circles are good for these exercises too, but here is a twist on the movement to help prepare your chest muscles to move.
Keep your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, take your arms back so they’re in line with your shoulders and you form a T-shape, and then bring them forward again. Use controlled speed during this movement.
Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 20 seconds and perform 4 to 6 rounds.
The Best Warmups for Incline Barbell Presses and Bent Over Lateral Raises
Grab a light resistance band and perform these two warm-up movements to prepare your shoulder joints for action. Before beginning, anchor a resistance band at elbow height while standing with your arms to your sides.
Internal Rotation: Start out with your right arm bent to 90 degrees at the elbow, with a rolled up towel between your elbow and body, keeping your arm in place and standing next to the anchored band with the band in your hand. Keeping your elbow bent at 90 degrees holding the towel and elbow in place, rotate your hand in toward your belly button so you feel resistance with the band and then return to the starting position.
External Rotation: Start out with your right arm bent to 90 degrees at the elbow, with a rolled- up towel between your elbow and body, keep your arm in place. Grab the resistance band and stand facing so if you pulled the band across your body there would be resistance. Keeping your elbow bent at 90 degrees, holding the towel in place with your elbow, rotate your hand out to the side and then return to the starting position. To visualize the external rotation, it’s like showing someone your inside coat lining while keeping your elbow next to your side.
Perform 3 sets, 10 reps in each direction, on each arm with light resistance.
