Warm-up for strength training

Antlon

Hey guys, haven't been working out for that long (just over 2 months). The staff at my gym gave a plan including "10 minutes of treadmill jogging" to warm-up so I do 10 minutes of intervals at 6.5;10;15 km/h. Is this really efficient? I work up more of a sweat from the warm-up than the workout plan they gave me and am quite tired after the running. Does anyone have any suggestions of what kind of warm up is best before a workout? Thanks

cwolfman13

I warm up should be easy...like a quick walk or very slow jog. I personally just warm up on the stationary bike just to get some blood moving...like 5 minutes. Then I do some lighter weight reps to warm up before my working sets.

If your workout isn't hard, then you're not using enough weight...it should be enough weight to be challenging.

AnvilHead

The idea of a warmup isn’t to beat yourself up and wear yourself down before the workout. I generally row 1000 meters (about 5 minutes) at a moderate pace before I lift, then do a light warmup set of the first few lifts.

StargazerB

I workout at home. My warm includes dynamic stretching, jumping jacks, and jogging in place. The whole thing only takes about 5-10 minutes.

tbright1965

5-20 minutes on the elliptical gets things moving. The first set is a moderate weight before putting on more difficult weights for the exercise. I want to see how things feel before I try to approach any personal bests.

But I do resistance training to maintain muscle mass and keep arthritis at bay, not to get swole.

Erik8484

I walk 15 minutes to the gym, do some quick dynamic movements, and then warm up for squats by squatting, deadlifts by deadlifting, etc. Might not be appropriate if you're not going to spend the next 30 minutes on your first exercise.

sijomial

Warm up sets are best for me, might not be best for you though.

But if I was going to do a cardio warmup then it would be upper and lower body and not just treadmill - row or elliptical for example.

If you are getting tired then dial back your warm up, it should prepare you to lift not make your lifting more tired.

23rochelle23

I warm up with the exercises I am doing in increasing weights.
For instance my squats I do
1 set empty bar (20kg)
1 set 40kg
1 set 60kg
1 set 80kg
1 set 100kg
Then my actual workout 5 sets at whatever weight I’m at (currently 115kg)
I don’t take rests (other than moving around lots of plates) between warm ups only once I’m doing my proper sets.

I do the same with other exercises and just adjust my intervals accordingly (5-20kg depending on the weight I’m lifting - lower my highest weight the smaller the intervals).

Cahgetsfit

when I started i'd walk on the treadmill for 5 mins at a moderate pace. Now I don't "warm up" at all. I mean, i'll do my muscle activation exercises and sometimes the first set of my main compound exercise a bit lighter just for the movement pattern, but that's it.

lorrpb

You can do a treadmill warm up but at a slower pace that works for you. Some people do lighter sets of whatever weights they plan to do. I do a combo. The problem with a treadmill warm up is that it doesn't do much for your upper body.

sardelsa

I do some stretching, glute activation (about 10min) and warm up sets for my heavier lifts. I try not to burn myself out or I find my lifting suffers which is not my goal.