# Do you warm up?



## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

I think in my gym its only me and my mate that take 10mins or so to warm up and do a warm up set each exercise. There's one bloke comes in, straight on the lat pull down and lifts about 120kg twice then rests then twice again. No warm up or stretches to get the muscle ready.

do u warm up or just go on from cold? Has it caused u injury?


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## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

god yes warm up every time saying that i still torn my pec a week or so ago


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## AlexB18 (Dec 10, 2013)

I only warm up by doing 2 warm up sets before each compound movement which I do right at the start, I feel that warms me up quite nicely personally.


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

Always do shoulder mobility stretch exercises as soon as i get in the gym, always do a very light high rep set of each exercise before i go for working sets too.

Hip mobility stuff before squats and light good mornings before deadlifitng, the older i get the more i need to warm up.


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## str4nger (Jul 17, 2012)

just do 2 light sets to start off with 15 reps and then start increasing the weight

Although I increment the weight for all exercises to a degree as I train alone


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## Quintillius (Jun 19, 2013)

I cycle just under 2 miles to my local gym so that's pretty much my warm up and cool down. Never had an injury and am progressing at a decent steady pace :thumb:


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## J1mmyc (Mar 25, 2012)

have a look at this article this how i warm up depending on rep ranges im using etc

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi51.htm


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## jimmywst (Aug 22, 2012)

Massively injury prone so instigate a decent warm up circuit before anything.

Plus I'm a tubby git so every little helps.


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## BIG JOSHUANT (Jul 3, 2014)

I do minimal warm up seems to be efficient, always start on a warm up weight, rotator cuff movements, hanging of the pull up bar, etc stretching is good.


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## Peace frog (Jul 2, 2014)

Couple of light stretches only but do a warm up set on every lift


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## gaz90 (Jun 19, 2014)

i used to do a general warm up (got lazy with it) on bench day that would involve rear delt flies + tricep pushdowns + light dumbbell pressing performed in a circuit for 2 rounds.

then start my main exercise, starting with the bar, gradually adding weight until i reached my working weight for the day.


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

Always warm up with several sets working the weight up. On heavy squats or bench, I'll do 4 or 5 warmup sets, and even if I'm doing strict, high-rep arm exercises at the end of my workout I'll always do a couple of warmup sets.

I did deadlifts yesterday, and my final single was the ninth set.

At my age, there is no bloody way I'd get under a heavy weight without any warmups


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## Ginger Ben (Oct 5, 2010)

Always do a little rotator cuff warm up routine then a couple of lighter sets just to get my head in the zone and muscles working.


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## Kazza61 (Jun 14, 2008)

No warm up but first set of any compound movement is always bar only followed by a light set followed by a medium set then move on to working sets. Done this for over 35 years with no real injuries of note.


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## FlamingWeasel (Aug 20, 2013)

Warm up is essential IMO, it does come down to your own body as mentioned above some guys can just do some lighter reps to start and never so much as pulled a muscle. I find my muscle react much better after a warm up especially on back days.


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## Sub-Zero (May 2, 2011)

I always do a few RC exercises, then 2 high rep sets on the first exercise I'm doing to get some blood into the muscle.


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## Fortunatus (Apr 12, 2013)

not really i'll do a quick warm up set first thing when I get into the gym whatever exercise I start on that's it


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## mal (Dec 31, 2009)

Ginger Ben said:


> Always do a little rotator cuff warm up routine then a couple of lighter sets just to get my head in the zone and muscles working.


I spend ages warming up rotator cuffs,do shoulder dislocations, stretching Chuck

Calfs in with it all,takes 20mins or so,light rear delts too.


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## Info Junkie (Nov 22, 2013)

Yup 15mins stretching , mobility is key to muscle health , use to be very tight now after heavy squats or deads I am as lose as always


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

750m on the rower then plenty of warm up sets. Sometimes stretch afterwards.


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## havering (May 14, 2013)

Normally just do a very light set for 15-20 reps or so.


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## ATMeredith (May 21, 2013)

I foam roll then do mobility work, eg squat/deadlift I do leg mobility, overhead/bench I do shoulder mobility.

I then do some light sets/reps for my main movement of the day I dont warm up for secondary movements as im already warm after the main exercise.

Ashley.


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> I think in my gym its only me and my mate that take 10mins or so to warm up and do a warm up set each exercise. There's one bloke comes in, straight on the lat pull down and lifts about 120kg twice then rests then twice again. No warm up or stretches to get the muscle ready.
> 
> do u warm up or just go on from cold? Has it caused u injury?


No mate, stretch a bit, wave arms round a bit then off I go, there is some science behind not warming up.


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

Yep. I spend a good 30mins warming up. My last three workouts attached, everything up to the first exercise listed with multiple sets is a warmup (all the green background, although I need to update the squat page)


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## JB131 (Aug 23, 2014)

for me its 5 min's fast walk then a few minutes stretching whatever muscle groups i'm training that day, sometimes i'll do a warm-up set. no real injuries so far.


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

only a fool doesn,t warm up


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

graham58 said:


> only a fool doesn,t warm up


What do you call a warm up though?



> one of the studies from researchers at the University of Zagreb reviewed 104 studies of people who only practiced static stretching as their warm-up and found that stretching reduced muscle strength by 5.5%. The second study looked at fit men who completed basic squats while lifting barbells either with or without stretching beforehand. Those that stretched lifted 8.3% less weight than those who didn't.
> 
> And these are not the only studies to report the trend. In fact, most physical trainers haven't recommended long bouts of stretching before workouts for quite some time. Most suggest just a little light and brief stretch beforehand, and spending more time on recovery stretching afterwards. "It has been a long time since anyone has recommended extensive stretching before exercise, because it has been known for a while now that the best time to stretch is after," says Richard Cotton, the national director of certification at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).


http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/08/why-stretching-may-not-help-before-exercise/

Stretch after, not before


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

saxondale said:


> What do you call a warm up though?
> 
> not stretching or waving my arms around like i,m trying to fly,but working up with the weights until i reach my working sets.
> 
> Stretch after, not before


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## Calanthe (Aug 26, 2014)

not always, one of my coaches says I should, other one says not so important.


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## TheBigD (Jul 24, 2014)

I deffo warm up due to the lower back niggles and shoulder niggles I have...

I used to foam-roll but found that it made little difference as really it was joint loosening that I needed more than muscle tissue breakdown etc

I spend around 10-15mins warming up every session; rotator cuffs and shoulder cable and light dumbbell movements EVERY session; lower back and hamstrings every session also...


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## Tag (Jun 19, 2013)

I always warm up

Rotator cuff exercises with 1kg plates before anything, empty bar on every exercise to start

Normal warm up is 40%, 60%, 80% of whatever working set will be, adjust reps accordingly

Stuff like curls/raises/flyes etc. - I'll usually be warmed up from whatever compound I did before

If not, quick high rep set with light dumbbells to get blood flowing

Some days you'll be on top form, other days you'll be thinking that the warm ups are heavy

Short version is to always warm up and listen to what your body is telling you


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

Imagine if you didnt tire yourself out doing 3 unnecessary sets how heavy you could be lifting this time next month?


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## Tag (Jun 19, 2013)

saxondale said:


> Imagine if you didnt tire yourself out doing 3 unnecessary sets how heavy you could be lifting this time next month?


Whatever weight I add in a month

Unnecessary? Prepares me mentally + don't feel fatigued, works for me

Do you warm up at all?


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

Tag said:


> Whatever weight I add in a month
> 
> Unnecessary? Prepares me mentally + don't feel fatigued, works for me
> 
> Do you warm up at all?


No mate, I'm an idiot.

Of course I do, i dont pss about doing a full workout before hand though like some do


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## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

If I'm doing chest I'll do some light flyes with 10kg db. Do about 20 as slow as possible. Then a set of 20 db presses with 15s or 20s.

Shoulders I'll do 20 reps of front raises, side raises and rear delt exercise that I dunno the name of!l! No rest between the different exercises. Do these on cables with light weight. Shoulders usually already burning a bit after these.

Legs I do leg extensions with light weight. 2 x sets of 15 reps. 5 with one second hold, 5 normal speed, 5 with hold.

Back I always do wide grip pull ups first.

Arms I'll just do a couple sets light curls then work up in weight.


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## T100 (Oct 8, 2011)

1 really light set of each exersice to get the blood flowing to the muscle, quick stretch then fire in, don't see the point in a warm up at 75% intensity, would rather save my energy for my real sets


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

T100 said:


> 1 really light set of each exersice to get the blood flowing to the muscle, quick stretch then fire in, don't see the point in a warm up at 75% intensity, would rather save my energy for my real sets


What if you were doing a set at 90,95 or 100%?

A good warm up should prepare your muscles and CNS for what is coming, but will also help to engrain good motor patterns.


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## LeVzi (Nov 18, 2013)

Rotor cuff warm up, since my tear I warm up triceps too, and shoulders. I warm everything up including legs on leg day, as i've caused a twinge in my arms loading up the leg press before lol  That was from not warming up my upper body.


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## T100 (Oct 8, 2011)

Robbie said:


> What if you were doing a set at 90,95 or 100%?
> 
> A good warm up should prepare your muscles and CNS for what is coming, but will also help to engrain good motor patterns.


When I would warm up at around with maybe 75% of what my main lift was going to be I always failed sooner or struggled more, now I go light and go for maybe 30-40 reps and it doesn't seem to affect my lifts after, just seems to work better for me


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

A well thought out routine will utilise the preceding exercises as at least a partial warm up for those that follow. There's no need to do several warm up sets for every exercise as - in the case of a Push day for example - chest work will warm up shoulders, and chest and shoulder work will warm up triceps.


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## Blitzer (May 24, 2013)

do my sets with no weight and maybe stretch a bit thats it


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

I don't do a separate warm up.I do what I call a couple of warm up sets before hitting the weights with working sets.Then it is exactly as @Mingster says for the rest of my session.


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

all i can say is this guy is a complete nob and doesn.t have a clue what he is doing.


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## Jamieson (Jul 11, 2014)

It sounds ambiguous but the answer is yes and no, with the reason being I use a 2/8 rep cadence so the first 2/3 reps of a set pretty much serve the purpose of a warm up. I've only been doing this since Feb of this year but I think its made a big difference. Prior to that I'd always done a Yates like warm up of 1 or 2 progressively heavier sets before doing the 1 work set.


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

Has this actually been asked?


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2014)

1 warm up set on every exercise. Gets me in the groove as well.


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