I've read about warming up in almost every exercise routine, but I've noticed few actually define what that even means.

Currently I'm doing a five day split now and on my first week. For warming up during legs day I did five minutes on an eliptical to get the blood flowing. For Bicep Tri and abs, I did 5 minutes on an arm bicycle machine. For the back and checks I'll probably do the same.

This seems to get the blood and muscles ready enough, but I wasn't sure if this truly was enough or a smart/correct way to go about it.

There are two types of warm-up -- general and specific.

The warm-ups you've been performing fall into the general category. Their purpose is to elevate the heart rate, core body temperature, and adjust the body (particularly the cardiovascular system) to working at a higher output.

The second type is a specific warm-up, which is often performed in conjunction with a specific acclimation. Together, these two activities increase blood flow through the specific musculature to be used, while increasing nerve conduction rate, neuromuscular activation, and the rate of muscular contraction, which allows you to perform at a higher level sooner -- ideally from the start of your first working set. Not to be dismissed, they also prepare you mentally for your heavier sets.

So, as an example, you might run on a treadmill or perform an exercise complex with a light weight for rounds for a few minutes at the beginning of your workout as a general warm-up. Then, if your first exercise is, perhaps, deadlifts for 4x2 @ 505, you might go 5x225, 3x275, 2x315, 2x405. Since deadlifts are a full body exercise, any other lifts you perform afterward will likely only need a few acclimation sets, which, as in the previous example, are just progressively heavier triples, doubles, or singles.

Acclimation sets bridge the gap between warm-up and working sets. When you perform them, each rep should be performed with the best possible form (they're submaximal after all) and usually with a deliberate cadence. For example, if you're a powerlifter acclimating for the deadlift, you would likely want to perform them in the manner of speed pulls, so that you get the most nervous system activation out of them. By the time you reach your working sets, you should be "primed" to lift at your best.

Interesting... thank you VERY much for explaining that. I had no idea there were so many warm up sets that would be involved before the main ones.

Interesting... thank you VERY much for explaining that. I had no idea there were so many warm up sets that would be involved before the main ones.



True- but it really does vary by the type of peron/experience and the muscle group. For example, and average person doesn't need 8 progressive warm-ups for biceps. Also- If you are combining bodyparts, you don't need to warm up every muscle. Again for example, if you do a typical bi's/tri's day, bi's first, you don't need warm up sets for the tris.


I often see people do too many reps warming up- I think it more effective to do progressive sets as chicanerous points out. So again for arms you might:

Bar only x 10
+20 x 5
+40 x 3
+ 60 x 1

+90x6/6/6 working sets

I haven't ever warmed up. The first few reps warm me up. So you see it differs.

Since you have been working out, Gance. How have you been warming up? Did you think that was sufficient?:cool:

I haven't ever warmed up. The first few reps warm me up. So you see it differs.



Exceptions never change the generailty.

I do 2 or 3 warm up sets for squats and deads (which I always start my lifts with, squats one day, deads another). After that, my blood is pretty darn well flowing, and I might do 1 acclimation set for most other lifts.

It's an individual thing. For example, on bench, I always warm up with 135 lbs for ten reps, then go into my 5 x 5 lifting routine at 225 lbs. I follow this with other chest-specific exercises (DB presses or flyes, cable flyes, pushups) for which I need no warm up (my chest and triceps are already warmed up from the benching).

It makes sense for you to do a limited amount of cardio before lifting, as it helps to get the blood flowing and your HR up a bit. Beyond that I think it is up to you as to what type and how much warming up you want to do.

An interesting fact about the aerobic portion of the warm-up (e.g. a few minutes of fast walking) is that the blood flow everyone mentions, is the process your body goes through to temporarily constrict blood flow to the abdominal area (organs and such I guess?) and increase it for the skeletal muscles. In other words, it's more than just increasing heart rate and blood output, it's how it's directed also. If you are doing any heavy aerobics, you definitely should warm up first or you will fatigue muscle fibers prematurely that will be worked aerobically. Fatigue in that sense is not having sufficient oxygen and it's companion, not carrying waste away quickly enough (different than lifting heavy and reaching failure). Those fibers would be the part of the muscle that will get it's energy from an oxygen process. That's everything in an aerobic workout and muscles not directly targeted, or any fibers assisting in a minor endurance type of way, in an anaerobic workout.

In a lesser way, certain anaerobic fibers also have a reduced but present, oxygen->energy conversion too (meaning minor endurance) and would benefit even though they predominantly (or totally with some) get their energy partially or completely from a non-oxygen process and there isn't really a concept of "warm-up" for that part of muscle. They don't kick in until you go at high intensity.

The process will occur anyway if you start working out by warming up with relatively light weight sets as people mentioned but if too light, it might not. If the workout was fairly intense on the aerobic side though, your performance would initially be reduced by just diving in full bore and a brisk walk or slow jog should be done first. Even on weight workouts, I am now including a 1/2 mile fast walk on my driveway prior to warming up with my bar or dumbbells just to be on the safe side.

The aerobic warm up process has to do with increasing your ability to move O2 to the muscles faster and CO2 out as quickly as possible. Your body automatically shifts into this shunting cycle when you warm-up. A cool-down is to reverse the process. I'm not actually sure why one would care about that since it would happen anyway but texts advise it. Perhaps there is a benefit to a gradual blood flow decrease rather than too sudden.

I'm not sure this adds to anything anyone has said, I just like to know why I do something. I thought all this was fascinating and hope I got it all right!

Exceptions never change the generailty.

I'm pretty much with rtestes on this one. Warming up isn't really important for everyone.

If you are doing any heavy aerobics, you definitely should warm up first or you will fatigue muscle fibers prematurely that will be worked aerobically.

I've never had any problem with that. Often I have gone straight into a lactate threshold test from a cold start. Doesn't seem to make much difference.

Most times when I do firewood work I don't bother with any warm up, even in the winter.

I've been pretty much skipping warmups for most of the past four years, and I don't think there is much of a performance or injury risk issue that I can see.

I've never had any problem with that. Often I have gone straight into a lactate threshold test from a cold start. Doesn't seem to make much difference.

Most times when I do firewood work I don't bother with any warm up, even in the winter.

I've been pretty much skipping warmups for most of the past four years, and I don't think there is much of a performance or injury risk issue that I can see.

Nor do I on my firewood (about 9 cords a year, plus anything that has to be milled). I only started warming up before exercise after starting to lift and hearing I should everywhere. I do think the concept of this vasodilation/constriction is fascinating even though I'm sure you're right, it probably makes effectively makes little difference. It's going to happen the minute you up the heart rate and get any kind of workout going anyway.

I remember needing to warm up some with long distance running or it would feel like running through a foot of mud not long after the starting gun. That seemed to correlate to what I read concerning aerobic performance in my mind, especially in competition where you would want everything ready for peak performance prior to start.

Exceptions never change the generailty.

They do if there's enough of them.

I tried not warming up and got extremely painful exertion headaches. Since then I've made sure I'm fully warmed up before attempting heavy lifts.

Nor do I on my firewood (about 9 cords a year, plus anything that has to be milled). I only started warming up before exercise after starting to lift and hearing I should everywhere.

Well what's the difference between me walking up the hill and lifting chunks of wood that weigh a few hundred pounds and walking into a gym and lifting chunks of steel that weigh a few hundred pounds?

I understand that some people don't hit their highest level from a cold start. I can think of a lot of reasons why that might be true. Anyone on low-carbohydrates or who is cutting hard, for example. For me? Many of my personal bests are from a cold start. Others are after an hour long hard workout. I put that down to having done a lot of conditioning, and having a diet that accomodates a good deal of work.

Helpful discussion here. Thanks.

If one were to add acclimating sets, is there a rule of thumb when it becomes more helpful? I currently do each exercise with the empty bar and then roll into my working sets. I am about six or seven weeks into my lifting career, and my squats and the DL are getting real challenging (to me, 200 lbs DL, 165 lbs Squat - I am just under 230 lbs, 6 foot even). I do like that my gym time is pretty manageable, and I feel like I am progressing in strength and flab.

I hadn't considered doing a few minutes of pre-lifting cardio. I think I'll try that as a starting point.

I was always taught to get on a bike for 5-10 minutes before lifting. I've always thought of this as pure penance, but I do it anyway. I don't know whether it helps at all with lifting. I do find that when I'm getting on an elliptical or treadmill I need to start of slow a bit because my muscles are screaming at first (hey why can't we just lift!) and then a few minutes into it I get in the groove. There is some actual science behind this. For lifting, I find that I get stronger as I move up the pyramid on sets. I'm not sure if that's just a function of the way I've been lifting. Today I started going straight into the top weight (on assisted chin ups) and carrying that level through several more sets.

This article might help: Why & How to warm up for Weight Training. (http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/why_how_to_warm_up_for_weight_training/)

Helpful discussion here. Thanks.

If one were to add acclimating sets, is there a rule of thumb when it becomes more helpful? I currently do each exercise with the empty bar and then roll into my working sets. I am about six or seven weeks into my lifting career, and my squats and the DL are getting real challenging (to me, 200 lbs DL, 165 lbs Squat - I am just under 230 lbs, 6 foot even). I do like that my gym time is pretty manageable, and I feel like I am progressing in strength and flab.

I hadn't considered doing a few minutes of pre-lifting cardio. I think I'll try that as a starting point.



Acclimation sets are more helpful the larger the weight is in relation to your bodyweight and the closer it is to your maximum.

On your deadlift, I'd probably pull 135 for a triple once or twice before I move into a 200 lb workset. On the squat, I'd do the same, but with 95 lbs. In either case, this is after doing a few reps with just the bar and a few minutes of pre-lifting cardio. You might feel a bit stronger in your first work sets as a result. Then again, you might not. I wouldn't do more than this though unless you're old, have chronic injuries, or feel that you need it.

If you do a proper warm up, the work sets should feel lighter, both mentally & physically.