Do I have to warm up before I lift?

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Sarahliquid
Sarahliquid Posts: 201 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just always have, but I see a lot of not so sweaty people lifting. Am I doing it for nothing? I only do between 5-10 minutes of cardio, but I really hate it.

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  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I would do some form of warm up- even if it's warming up with the bar and technique.

    I usually do 3-5 min of warm up- not enough to really get me sweaty- me thinks you're confusing warm up with cardio.



    you should never go pick up heavy things cold- but you don't need to be dripping sweat to be lifting. I sweat very little for the first 50 min of my lift.
  • TheBookSiren2316
    TheBookSiren2316 Posts: 226
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    I don't know if you have to, but I warm up and stretch before I lift and then cool down and stretch again after. It feels good to stretch after and I've never lifted without warming up and stretching so it wouldn't feel right if I didn't.
  • Sarahliquid
    Sarahliquid Posts: 201 Member
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    You may be right. I thought warming up was literally getting to the point of breaking a sweat and that somehow equalled getting my blood flowing to the muscles. Should that be in the Dumb Stuff Heard at the Gym thread?
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
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    My warm up is a few reps of whatever lifting I plan on doing at a light (50% or so of 1RM) weight. Then 60%, then 70%, and away we go.
  • wan2b21
    wan2b21 Posts: 147 Member
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    I usually just stretch so that I can loosen up the muscles. Its good to get them loose so they can flex and stretch while you are using them for the weight training. I usually hit the weights and then follow with cardio so that I don't have to work on the benches all sweaty. I think I have a sweat phobia lol...
  • laurarunnels
    laurarunnels Posts: 2
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    My trainer has me warm up with lights set(s) of whatever the first weight exercise I do... (Advice from a trainer can be different depending on who you ask, but it seems to work for me). If my first lift is bench press, I do the bar only for 15 quick reps before I start with my training weight. If I do two sets of bar only, I'll wait a couple minutes before starting with the full training weight. :)
  • Sarahliquid
    Sarahliquid Posts: 201 Member
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    Ok, I've definately been overthinking the warm up.
  • laurarunnels
    laurarunnels Posts: 2
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    What tross0924 said... :)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I just always have, but I see a lot of not so sweaty people lifting. Am I doing it for nothing? I only do between 5-10 minutes of cardio, but I really hate it.

    You don't have to, but you should.

    As I'm getting older, I really have to warm my knees up before squats.

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