How long to warm up...

siriusalien

...before doing weight training? I think it's an accepted fact that one should do weights before cardio. My new trainer wants me to do 10-15 min cardio before weight. I usually get exhausted, frustrated and bored doing that and plunck out when we get to weights..

Glucocorticoid

So why not get a new trainer? Because the fact that it is affecting your lifts is exactly why you save the majority of the cardio for the end, or on a different day entirely.

ItsCasey

I don't warm up before strength training. My first set is enough of a warm-up. Cooling down, muscle recovery, and joint mobility after workouts and/or on rest days is more important, in my humble, non-physical trainer opinion.

girlie100

i do 5min stationary bike at the most but today it was so warm out i just did some squats and then when straight into the lifting. All you need to do is warm up your muscles and raise your HR a little

siriusalien

Yeah, I'm on my third trainer at this gym. The first guy was great but moved on to a better gig. Now stuck with 2 cardio bunnies..I spoke to the fitness manager when I cut the second guy loose. Made sure he understood that I wanted to heavy lift. I was asigned this little chick who claims she power lifts in competition.
warning signs this isn't going to work: wanting me to do 10-15 cardio before her workout
Trying to sell me fat "melting" supplements
Telling me 2 eggs for breakfast will raise my cholesterol
Trying to sell me on "classes"

Glucocorticoid

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

siriusalien

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

dlwyatt82

I don't do any cardio warm-up before lifting, but I do warm-up sets for each exercise. 10 reps with an empty bar, and then sets of 3 reps, adding weight in 40-50lb increments until I'm at my work weight.

dlwyatt82

Yeah, I'm on my third trainer at this gym. The first guy was great but moved on to a better gig. Now stuck with 2 cardio bunnies..I spoke to the fitness manager when I cut the second guy loose. Made sure he understood that I wanted to heavy lift. I was asigned this little chick who claims she power lifts in competition.
warning signs this isn't going to work: wanting me to do 10-15 cardio before her workout
Trying to sell me fat "melting" supplements
Telling me 2 eggs for breakfast will raise my cholesterol
Trying to sell me on "classes"

I hear ya. I met with the training manager at my gym earlier this week to see if there was anyone on staff who really knew what they were doing in the barbell area, so I could get a few sessions as a form check. Turns out their prices are so ridiculous, even if they had Glenn Pendlay working as a trainer, I still probably wouldn't want to pay it. Over $150/hour on average, at the price they quoted me (6 "sessions", which turns out involve telling you to go do about 45 minutes of cardio on your own, with 30 minutes of actual strength training in the middle. I'm only counting those 30 minutes in my evaluation of the price, as I can figure out how to use the elliptical or treadmill on my own, thanks.)

Glucocorticoid

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

Sure, but don't automatically assume that the personal trainer will show you perfect form. It really does not take much to become a personal trainer. What about using youtube videos/articles/books to learn the technique?

siriusalien

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

Sure, but don't automatically assume that the personal trainer will show you perfect form. It really does not take much to become a personal trainer. What about using youtube videos/articles/books to learn the technique?

Starting to see that as a real option. Also considering a consultation with Steve Troutman, who sometimes posts on MFP

dlwyatt82

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

Sure, but don't automatically assume that the personal trainer will show you perfect form. It really does not take much to become a personal trainer. What about using youtube videos/articles/books to learn the technique?

That's fine up to a point, but you can't always see what you're doing wrong, even in a mirror (and looking in a mirror while doing a rep is likely to screw you up in the first place). That's why I'm looking for a coach for a small number of sessions; to observe my workout and point out any problems with what I'm doing, so I can get it right and know what perfect form feels like when I'm under the bar, rather than just watching someone do it on youtube.

Glucocorticoid

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

Sure, but don't automatically assume that the personal trainer will show you perfect form. It really does not take much to become a personal trainer. What about using youtube videos/articles/books to learn the technique?

Starting to see that as a real option. Also considering a consultation with Steve Troutman, who sometimes posts on MFP

Steve knows his stuff.

What about not having a personal trainer at all?

Thought about that. My rationale FOR having one was: I'm 46, fat, pretty sedentary- I don't want to hurt myself with bad technique

Sure, but don't automatically assume that the personal trainer will show you perfect form. It really does not take much to become a personal trainer. What about using youtube videos/articles/books to learn the technique?

That's fine up to a point, but you can't always see what you're doing wrong, even in a mirror (and looking in a mirror while doing a rep is likely to screw you up in the first place). That's why I'm looking for a coach for a small number of sessions; to observe my workout and point out any problems with what I'm doing, so I can get it right and know what perfect form feels like when I'm under the bar, rather than just watching someone do it on youtube.

Yeah, true. I like to take videos of myself though on my phone. A competent coach would be ideal for many, but that's not always financially practical.

meshashesha2012

i like dynamic warmups better before weight training or i do warm up sets of my weights or i do a few rounds of a complex.

oh yeah and if you're trainer consistently wastes your time and money by sticking you on a cardio machine for a a significant portion of your session then definitely fire them. whenver i work with a trainer i let them know i'm not paying them for cardio on a machine. i can do that stuff for free on my own

wackyfunster

My personal take: you don't need more than 2-3 mins of warm up. Just rotate your various joints to get the blood flowing (e.g. turn head side to side, roll head side to side, roll head front and back, roll head in a circle, roll shoulders forward, roll shoulders backward, rotate arms in circles to the side, front, upwards, etc. etc.). If you want to go crazy, I'd recommend something like the five tibetans, which combines stretching and mild resistance without being intense enough to affect your workout, and takes no more than 5-10 minutes to do.

If you are lifting heavy, your real warm-up is in your warm-up sets.

siriusalien

Thanks to all for the replys.. Yes, I made a big $$$$ mistake signing with a trainer at a local and very commercial gym. Prctically useless! So new plan is to try to get out of contract, get consult with Steve Troutman, and just DO IT

DavPul

I do 12 mins of rope jumping before lifting. Partly as a warm up and partly as my cardio, as I'll do another 12 mins after lifting. On a spinning cycle I'll do 25 before and 25 after. I don't know what you're doing for cardio, but if you did 10-15 mins of a good stiff walk or very light run on a treadmill it would help get your entire body warmed up for the weights.

But make no mistake, cardio before lifting WILL take some of your strength and energy away, but if you don't overdo it, it's not a terrible idea in and of itself. I mean, if you're going for a new max on squats don't do it, but for your purposes (at least, what I think your purposes are), it shouldn't hurt your workout too much. Your body will adapt to it quickly and you'll still have energy for your lifting.

DavPul

oh yeah and if you're trainer consistently wastes your time and money by sticking you on a cardio machine for a a significant portion of your session then definitely fire them. whenver i work with a trainer i let them know i'm not paying them for cardio on a machine. i can do that stuff for free on my own

I'm assuming the trainer is telling you to do the 15 mins of cardio BEFORE your training session with him/her begins. That's cool. But if the cardio is part of what you're paying for, then the PT can go get bit. Assuming we're talking normal cardio and not some specialized HIIT program or something

siriusalien

oh yeah and if you're trainer consistently wastes your time and money by sticking you on a cardio machine for a a significant portion of your session then definitely fire them. whenver i work with a trainer i let them know i'm not paying them for cardio on a machine. i can do that stuff for free on my own

I'm assuming the trainer is telling you to do the 15 mins of cardio BEFORE your training session with him/her begins. That's cool. But if the cardio is part of what you're paying for, then the PT can go get bit. Assuming we're talking normal cardio and not some specialized HIIT program or something

Yes, this trainer wanted 15 min cardio prior to my workout with her. The previous trainer, now fired, was all for standing next to me on the treadmill, or that thing that resembles bicycle peddles for the arms, and press buttons.