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Principles of Warming-Up
Just like exercise programs, warm-up sessions should be tailored to your client’s needs and based on the results of their assessment. However, there are some golden rules you can use for designing your client’s warm-up. In this blog, we’ll break down the components of an effective and efficient warm-up.
Goals of a Warm-up Routine
An effective warm-up improves your client’s ability to correctly and safely perform exercises. It should efficiently address your client’s specific mobility needs and noticeably improve their workout performance. Just like their exercise program, it should be progressed and varied.
The Sequence of Warming-Up is Important
To make sure the warm-up is effective, movements should be performed in following sequence:
- Spinal Mobilizations
- Body Temperature
- Joint Mobilizations
- Myofascial/Soft Tissue Release
- Static Stretching
- Activation Exercises
- Dynamic Warm Up
- Neural Warm Up
This sequence works because each movement builds off the one prior. This helps your client prepare for the workout in the least amount of time. Remember, you don’t need to do everything in this sequence, just what your client needs. Be sure to follow the order.
10 Minute Warm-Up Rule
Keep this in mind: if your client needs more than 10 minutes to effectively prepare for the workout ahead, then the program is likely too complex. Regress the exercises in the program and then make sure the following parts of the warm-up sequence fit within 10 minutes.
- Spinal Mobilizations
- Joint Mobilizations
- Myofascial/Soft Tissue Release
- Static Stretching
- Activation Exercises
- Dynamic Warm Up
There are some exceptions to this rule. Your client may need more time to warm-up due to their age, injuries and conditions. Tailor their warm-up program based on what you know from their assessment.
#1 Body Temperature Warm-up
This part of the warm-up isn’t always necessary, especially in the summer when your client’s body temperature is likely higher. However, a body temperature warm-up can help clients who have been sedentary for most of the day better prepare for the spinal and joint mobilizations to come. Older clients will benefit more than younger clients.
A body temperature warm-up should last from 5 to 10 minutes. Your client should be able to converse and may work up a light sweat. Choose manual machines like the Air Dyne bike.
#2 Spinal Mobilizations:
These are crucial for almost every client. Spinal mobilizations are active, gentle movements that address restriction in the spine. Segmental movement is key for spinal mobilizations, unlocking restrictions and making it easier for your client to maintain proper posture in the movements to come.
Be sure to guide your client through articulating their spine, segment by segment, from head to toe. A good starting point is 10 to 15 repetitions, making sure they inhale on extension and exhale on flexion.
#3 Joint Mobilizations (other than the spine)
#4 Soft Tissue Release
Adding soft tissue release into a warmup program can improve your client’s muscle contraction and result in a more effective workout. Make time for soft tissue release if your client has a lot of restrictions that aren’t addressed by mobilizations.
- Examples of clients that may need this are:
- Those of a higher training age, who have worked out a lot and are very tight
- Those with sliding surface dysfunction, where muscles are tacked down to the fascia
This can be especially helpful for clients who may have muscles locked into lengthened positions. This is often seen in the shoulders, where their pectoral muscles are short and tight while their upper back is long and tight.
Things to Remember for Soft Tissue Release
Be sure to only do 30 to 60 seconds of soft tissue release per area. This will allow better muscle contraction without causing negative effects. Too much soft tissue release can sacrifice stability and force production from that muscle.
Be careful not to do too much intensity. If your client can barely sit on the roller, it’s too much. Being in a lot of pain can decrease their muscle’s ability to contract throughout the workout.
#5 Static Stretching
A lot of people think that static stretching doesn’t have a place in a warmup routine. They’re wrong. If you follow certain rules, static stretching can correct restrictions that you noticed in your client’s assessment.
Rules to Make Static Stretching Effective Pre-Workout
- Keep neck stretches less than 10 seconds per repetition.
- Keep stretch duration less than 30 seconds for the rest of the body.
- Remember: stretch what’s tight to train what’s weak.
- Stretch head to toe – start with the neck
Stretch What’s Tight to Train What’s Weak
For example, during the assessment you may see that your client’s tight pectoral muscles are inhibiting their upper back which also inhibits their lower back and abs. Light static stretching prior to training these things can make it easier for the client to activate their glutes and core. The antagonist tightness will no longer inhibit their ability to contract the targeted muscle group.
Start with the Neck. Stretch Head to Toe.
Make sure to stretch from head to toe, starting with the neck. The neck has more muscle spindles than any other part of the body and stretching those neck muscles often normalizes issues throughout the rest of the body.
While stretching has it’s place, stretching alone will not even out the body.
#6 Muscle Activation Exercises
Muscle activations can “wake up” the muscles opposite to the weak, tight, and short muscles that are causing restricted movement. These are great options for helping clients who have difficulty getting into the right position or recruiting certain muscle groups.
Whichever exercise you choose, remember to keep the repetitions low. Your client should just feel the muscles activate, but not fatigue.
#7 Dynamic Warm Up
Dynamic warm ups are often derived from what a track and field athlete would do prior to their event. It involves high knees, arm circles, butt kicks, and many others.
One way to implement this is to use a toned down dynamic warm up to use as a body temperature warm up. This is even a good option if the client doesn’t have any cardio equipment to use prior to their training session.
Generally, the best specific and dynamic warm up is to perform the initial exercises of the training session, starting with lighter loads.
#8 Neural Warm Up
Throughout the warmup, you’ve gotten your client in the perfect position for performing the workout ahead. Now, if you were to get them under the bar for 8 to 10 repetitions, the exercise would still be suboptimal because you haven’t warmed up their nervous system to accept load.
The neural warmup encourages the brain, muscles, and nervous system to work together. This connection offers several benefits, including:
- Preparing the nervous system for exercise
- Grooving the movement pattern
- Ensuring high quality work, proper technique and safety
- Decreasing chance of injury
- Increasing strength and power output
- Coaxing client’s body into adaption
Overall, the most appropriate warmup for an exercise is a series of progressively heavier, low repetition sets of that same exercise. The best way to make your client stronger andto able to lift more volume while making the program safer is through a neural warm up.
Conclusion
This 8-step sequence helps you design the best warmup for your client if you tailor the movements to their goals and challenges. You may find that you don’t need to include every step of this sequence in a client’s warmup. Regardless of what you include, be sure to follow the sequence. Each step builds on the one before to unlock limited movement patterns and perform higher quality exercises.