The Warm Up

[Chevy350TPI 12]

The Warm Up

Prior to exercise, it is necessary to perform a warm up. The goal of this warm up should be to prime the body for exercise. An adequate warm up may improve elasticity due to blood saturation and minimize the risk of injury to the ligaments, tendons, muscles and other connective tissues.

For example, a general warm up could consist of 5-10 minutes of low intensity cardiovascular exercise followed by a few dynamic warm up exercises. A more specific warm up will have more in mind.

The purposes of a warm up are as follows:

1. Increase proprioception (spatial awareness)

2. Increase muscle activation (neural drive)

3. Improve coordination and joint stabilization

4. Decrease joint viscosity

5. Incorporate movement similar to the movements of the activity (more sport-specific/athlete-centered)

Most people will arrive at the gym and stretch … the wrong way. They will perform static stretching. This is where you hold the stretch in one position for 30+ seconds. Static stretching prior to resistance training will be detrimental to the muscle tissue and nervous system. In a December 2001 study in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport journal, it was demonstrated that three sets of 15 second static stretches with 15 second rest reduced knee flexion and extension 1RM by 7-8%! As mentioned above, a warm up should increase blood flow to the muscles. Static stretching cuts off blood flow to the muscles. As always there is science behind how static stretching inhibits strength. Static stretching ultimately attempts to lengthen the muscle. It does this by decreasing neurological arousal and by decreasing the stretch reflex response. When training, you aim to achieve a heightened neurological sense and you do not want to go inhibiting anything like the stretch reflex prior to the workout. A decreased neurological arousal will decrease coordination, agility, balance, and volitional muscle activation.

There are many different types of stretching and that will be another article for a different day.

Prior to resistive training or exercise, it is recommended that you perform a variety of dynamic exercises to help get your heart rate up and prepare your body for what is to come. If weight training, proper use of acclimation sets is strongly encouraged. Examples of dynamic exercises include the high knee run, backward run, backpedal, lunge walks, lateral squats, inchworm, Hindu push ups, and the list goes on. Anywhere from six to eight exercises over the course of 10 yards or so (each) (or 8-12 reps if done on the spot) is recommended prior to exercise.

There is more to the warm up, but I just wanted to get some information out there now.

To come:

Core Training – covering abdominal muscles, kinetic chains, proprioceptive feedback, and static and dynamic stabilization exercises.

Force Production and the Physiology of Muscles – covering the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction, brief anatomy of skeletal muscle, and fiber type.

Adaptations to Resistance Training (Neurological) – covering proprioception, motor unit recruitment, and reflexes.

Biomechanics – covering mechanical advantage and levers, biomechanical concerns, and strength curves.

Adaptations to Resistance Training (Muscle, Bone, CT) – covering bone formation, muscle growth, hormones, fiber conversion, and tendon + cartilage adaptations.

Bioenergetics – covering energy systems, depletion/repletion, oxygen uptake, and limiting factors.

Gender Differences – covering females and training.

Stretching – covering all types of stretching and what type should be performed when.

Training – covering principles, steps to creating a program, exercise selection, frequency, exercise order, rest periods, etc.

Training for Power – covering components and definition, mechanics, development, and how to train for power.

Agility, Speed and Speed-Endurance – covering speed, agility, objectives, training approach, and sample drills.

Periodization – covering stress response, theories, and linear and non-linear models.

Bodyweight Exercises – covering a variety of bodyweight exercises you can do at home.

Quick Workouts – sample workouts you can complete in under half an hour that will leave you wondering why you signed up for this.

Input on which you would like to read first would be great. That order is somewhat logical in terms of progression, but if someone wants me to jump right into quick workouts or something, that is quite fine. understand the science is not as entertaining/valuable as a quick read on program design might be. Keep in mind the views reflected in these articles are my own and repesentative of the proponents who developed the principles followed today. I am in no way going to gurantee complete accuracy as everyone is unique, especially when it comes to adaptations and responses. Furthermore, I hold no responsibility when it comes to you going to the gym and performing exercises. You are not clients so I cannot sit down one and one with you to determine if you are fit to start exercising. I recommend seeing a doctor prior to beginning any exercise program. I aim to provide the tools and knowledge for you to develop your own sensible program and modify your diet and/or lifestyle. I think that is all on that note. Oh, I do not work for nor represent any company ... so if I throw out a brand name, I will justify it. If you ask a question and I do not know the answer, I will tell you I do not know the answer ... and then find out for you.

Respond to this thread how you wish. When it is all said and done (you give me list of the next two or three info articles you want to see) we will crop anything unrelated to the topic of warm up to keep it tidy.

[DevilDriver 28]

Very nice post, Steve. Opened my eyes already. I don't want to play the blame game but it's amazing that I have played sports my whole life and took gym all throughout high school...and I've already learned more about fitness than I was taught.

I can't speaker for everyone else but I think a delivery of the basics of each type of exercise and training (agility and speed are most interesting to me as someone who did track for a while) and then go over how to design a training program...and then the more advanced stuff (ie. biomechanics). Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong, though.

I will be very interested to hear more. My brother and I are both athletes and he is currently a long distance runner. Depending on the ranking system, he's #3 in the country for the 3000 m in his age group but he needs to build up speed for the final kick...and his training regiment so far doesn't seem to be getting him that extra gear at the finish that he needs to have a shot at world-class performance.

I soak anything up so gimme what you've got.

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

Good warm ups are the key to good exercise IMO. Every day at football or basketball practice we spent a solid twenty minutes stretching and warming up, made all the difference in the world. Excellent info

Edited January 31, 2008 by Penguin4x4

[DevilDriver 28]

Good warm ups are the key to good exercise IMO. Every day at football or basketball practice we spent a solid twenty minutes stretching and warming up, made all the difference in the world. Excellent info

So did we but it consisted of static stretching and doing a couple laps....

[djjdnap 78]

quik workouts-i want it fast and easy, lol

actually on comcast they have alot of fast workouts, i did some tae boe yesterday, felt sill, but i was sweating!

[MKader17 332]

Reading from your post is seems static stretches are pretty much all bad, but I just can't seem to see that. We start all workouts with a series of static stretches and it really seems good to limber things up. I also prefer to wind down my night with some static stretching before bed...

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Reading from your post is seems static stretches are pretty much all bad, but I just can't seem to see that. We start all workouts with a series of static stretches and it really seems good to limber things up. I also prefer to wind down my night with some static stretching before bed...

Static stretching is not all bad!

Static stretching has its time and place. You are damaging the tissue aiming to lengthen the muscle.

Static stretching prior to workouts is not the way to approach a warm up. It shuts your nervous system down ... thus one of the best times to perform static stretching is prior to bed. Static post-workout is fine, but there are better alternatives (DYNAMIC stretching).

By static stretching before a workout, you are really hindering your performance. You are essentially putting your muscles to sleep. You want to get blood flowing to the muscles - static stretching prevents blood from flowing to the muscles. Remember, we are talking about holding the stretch for 30 seconds here ... 5 seconds in each position won't cause problems. If you have a strength coach that is telling you to perform static stretching prior to a workout, they have not read any stretching literature in the past while, simply do not care, or have very little idea surrounding the idea of a warm up and how the human body works/responds.

I will get more into the details soon once I find time to type up something on the other types of stretching.

[Supa_c 1]

I dont see a nutrition topic. Unless im misunderstanding one of the topics listed.

I find the main drawback of working out or exercising for that matter requires money for supplements, "shakes" and what not. I very seldom see a natural guide to nutrition.

Does everyone need the extra boost or can just a basic meal cover you for the workout ?

Also, time factors.

Im not one to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to get in a workout, I would much rather do it after Ive eaten dinner.

I hope i dont sound like an idiot here. This could probably googled, but maybe others have these same questions/issues.

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I dont see a nutrition topic. Unless im misunderstanding one of the topics listed.

I find the main drawback of working out or exercising for that matter requires money for supplements, "shakes" and what not. I very seldom see a natural guide to nutrition.

Does everyone need the extra boost or can just a basic meal cover you for the workout ?

Also, time factors.

Im not one to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to get in a workout, I would much rather do it after Ive eaten dinner.

I hope i dont sound like an idiot here. This could probably googled, but maybe others have these same questions/issues.

You do not sound like an idiot! They are all good questions.

You do not need supplements at all! Your diet and modifications to it are more than sufficient to provide you with the required nutrition. Basic pre- and post- workout meals (solid, natural, no shakes) are optimal, in fact.

How long would you like to spend in the gym? You can put some very intense workouts together for time periods lasting 15-30 minutes for sure. I am a big fan of quick, to-the-point workouts. No garbage ... just functional stuff that has good transferability into daily life.

I think I should address quick workout ideas first and then touch on nutrition. Maybe throw up a few examples of some brief workouts.

[Supa_c 1]

30 min sounds decent. I honestly have never worked out for a full hour so i dont know the feeling.

Im with you on the get to the point exercises. I dont like doing things that have no beneficial gains.

A general guideline would be great.

P.S

Thanks for making on this topic/section Steve, i know its been rolling around on this board for a while, nice to see it come into action

[MKader17 332]

What are some Dynamic pre-workout stretches that you would recommend?

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Will do - right after work ... I'll leave this window open.

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Shoot me your e-mail and I will send you the actual document I distrubute to classes here. Pictures are included so it should save me a lot of explanation/typing.