How long do you warm up before lifting?

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ana3067
ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'll do some dynamic stretches and usually 5 minutes of a bit of cardio, but just wondering what everyone finds works best for them. I wanted to try out front squats at the end of my work out to see if I'd like them and would prefer them over leg presses on deadlift days, I ended up being able to do 10lbs heavier AFTER my 15 minutes cardio than I could before the cardio. Maybe I need a longer warm up or it was just a fluke?

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  • Lovefastball99
    Lovefastball99 Posts: 53 Member
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    Before my weight training days I run a quick mile... 10 minute pace. Light stretch after the run and then hit the weights.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited March 2015
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    It depends...if it's an early morning Saturday in the weight room I need to do a good 5 minutes or so of just moderate paced walking to wake everything up before I even do my warm-up lifts.

    On my week night evening sessions I can usually just jump into some light overhead squats before I get into my Oly work.

    I also tend to be able to pull or push more when I do some warmup sets of whatever lift I'm working on...so If I'm doing snatches I might do 2 or 3 warmup sets fairly light...and then my 5 working sets.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    20 mins cardio -elliptical/treadmill..but it's the only cardio I get
  • Soundwave79
    Soundwave79 Posts: 469 Member
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    I do Body Beast and the warm ups are very short. So I usually end up doing an Insanity warm up first to really get the blood flowing and then some dynamic stretches like you do before I do the Beast vids.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I typically do 20-30 minutes of warm-up/mobility work but I'm old and decrepit.
  • dwolfe1985
    dwolfe1985 Posts: 100 Member
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    I just do some hip mobility and work up with 3-4 sets of light to moderate weight squats
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I walk 5-10 minutes and then stretch for about 10 minutes. I usually need more of a warm up in the morning vs. afternoon or evening.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I do 5 minutes on the bike. Squat or dead days are about 5ish minutes of rolling and mobility work before starting in on warmup sets, so up to around 20-30 minutes of "warm up". Bench days are a bit shorter of a warm up, around 15 minutes before I hit my work sets.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I don't warm up by doing cardio as I prefer to warm up with stretches and lifting lighter weights for a set or two. It doesn't take long for my muscles to warm up this way.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    5 minutes on the step machine. 5 minutes foam rolling. Plus my warm up sets which take 5 minutes or so.
  • foursirius
    foursirius Posts: 321 Member
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    15 minutes of stair master or a 5 minute jog into 4x100 sprints
  • epido
    epido Posts: 353 Member
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    I usually do some 2-hand swings and some goblet squats with a relatively light kettle bell. After 2-3 sets of each, I'm typically ready to go with whatever the plan is for the day.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    I’ll walk 5 minutes on the treadmill and then for each exercise, I will do the first set at very low weight, and a second set at a moderate weight.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Just some very short dynamic stretches, and typically a couple easier sets, then I;m in full swing.
  • TheSwoleMinister
    TheSwoleMinister Posts: 70 Member
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    I'm 40 and I just stretch for a few minutes. No injuries to speak of.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    Eileen_S wrote: »
    I don't warm up by doing cardio as I prefer to warm up with stretches and lifting lighter weights for a set or two. It doesn't take long for my muscles to warm up this way.

    I do warm up sets as well, and the dynamic stretching. Quite possible I need to do more dynamic stretching haha.

    Everyone's answers are pretty different, which isn't helping me see a clear pattern that is like... the winning formula! :p
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    While on the subject of warm ups then, what's everyone's warm-up set routine like? Like how many reps per set are you doing? Maybe my warm up sets could use improving...
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    While on the subject of warm ups then, what's everyone's warm-up set routine like? Like how many reps per set are you doing? Maybe my warm up sets could use improving...

    40% of 1RMx5, 50%x5, 60%x3.
  • mochapygmy
    mochapygmy Posts: 2,123 Member
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    I usually do 10-15 minutes of cardio, bike or rowing. Very rarely I'll take a spin class before then take a 10 minute break, drink a protein shake and then lift.

    I rarely do warm up sets. If I do it's mostly just to make sure my form is good. Maybe 2 or 3 reps about 20lbs or so less than my first working set.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I have been using warmupreps.com to figure out my warmup reps.

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