Starting SL TODAY! Warm-up question

christinemac17

I'm finally 'going for it' and going to the gym over lunch (when it's almost empty ) to do Workout A. But I've yet to completely understand what I should to for warm up.

I've been lifting a little here and there, some machines, some bars, some dumbells, so I'm not a complete weakling; and I intend to just start with the empty bar for my workout. Therefore.... how should I warm up? I know I can just do body squats to warmup for squats, but what should I do for bench press and rows?

does everybody do 4 warmup sets as Mehndi suggests?

Fittreelol

Agile 8, simple 6. They work miracles! Ofc you won't know that if you don't start doing them 6 months into lifting. Be thankful! When I started with the empty bar I would use either body weight or light dumbbells for 1-2 sets.

thingo

I wouldn't over think it. Mehdi goes in to great detail about what to do for warmup but I was a bit confused.

For warmup, I personally:
- 2-3 mins of movement/cardio just to get warm and supple (this could be skip, row, jog)
- stretch (air squats, couch stretch, hammy stretch, shoulder stretch and mobility, wrists - depending on what movement I'm about to do). So for bench and rows, I'd do shoulder stretches, wrists, shoulder dislocates and figure 8s with PVC pipe or broomstick
- then a few sets with the empty bar and some weight which is halfway towards working weight

Stretch and warmup as much as you feel you need. Remember that the purpose of it is to give yourself the best possible start to finishing the sets successfully (i.e. unbroken) and without hurting yourself, but without tiring yourself out too much.

@Fittreelol What do you mean by "Agile 8, simple 6"?

Fittreelol

Agile 8- http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_08-10-03.html

Simple 6- https://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/joe-defrancos-simple-six-upper-body-warm-up/

christinemac17

thanks for the tips! @fittreelol -- I did check out the Agile 8 and Simple 6 --- really good stretching, thanks!

arsarapin

I bookmark this website on my phone. It can be helpful when you start loading those plates. www.warmupreps.com

hananah89

I either get on a cardio machine for 5 minutes or just do some jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. Then do some light stretching just to get into my flexibility. I do SLs at 6am so both my mind and body are still asleep and need to get woken up.

christinemac17

I bookmark this website on my phone. It can be helpful when you start loading those plates. www.warmupreps.com

AWESOME site! Thank you -- just what I was looking for

kiykiy79

I do 2 warmup sets at 50% and 75% of what my 5x5 lifts are... Sometimes (rarely) I do 5 minutes of cardio just to get the blood flowing especially if the gym is freezing. Good luck! Grrrrrrrr!!!!!

christinemac17

Thanks! this actually answered the question that popped into my mind when looking at that warmup site: Does everyone actually do 4 warm up sets??

Today was my second day, WO B; went very well. Without thinking, I went into a second set of DLs, but my App stopped me from doing more, lol.