What constitutes a warm up?

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lorrpb
lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
edited January 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
One of my fitness class instructors doesn't do what I consider a proper warm up. She just tells us to take it easy on the first 100 or so reps which involves 4 exercises, done on different muscle groups. This is all TRX work like squats, rows, chest press etc. It never feels the same to me as when the owner/head trainer does a thorough 15 min warmup of all muscle groups before going into TRX or a circuit.

What do you think? Is this a valid warmup and I should just suck it up? Or should I talk to the owner about my concerns?
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Replies

  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    I would mention it. It doesn't seem quite right to me. I would feel like I needed to warm up myself before walking into class.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    you can warm up any way you want. Some do a formal warm up and jump right into a workout. I like to get my heart rate up on a bike or something for a few minutes, and then use my first sets as warmup sets and gradually progress until about the 4th or 5th set i'm at my working weight/sets. Get to know your body so you know how to get warmed and when you're warmed.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    my lifting warm-up is usually a few sets of much lesser weight than my working weight on my first lower body movement and first upper body movement.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    It would work for me but if you don't like it, arrive early and do all the extra warmup you want
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    One of my fitness class instructors doesn't do what I consider a proper warm up. She just tells us to take it easy on the first 100 or so reps which involves 4 exercises, done on different muscle groups. This is all TRX work like squats, rows, chest press etc. It never feels the same to me as when the owner/head trainer does a thorough 15 min warmup of all muscle groups before going into TRX or a circuit.

    What do you think? Is this a valid warmup and I should just suck it up? Or should I talk to the owner about my concerns?

    What the instructor does sounds more reasonable to me. An easier version of what you plan to do during the workout.
  • workout_ninja
    workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
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    i prefer to do a cardio warm up and literally warm up my body before starting. However, it is a perfectly good warm up to do light weights of your workout
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I do whatever it feels like my body needs that day. Whether I need some short cardio to actually warm up or just some dynamic movement, rolling, and warmup sets.

    I know how I need my body to feel before I touch my first working weight and I do what I need to get there.
  • bluefish86
    bluefish86 Posts: 842 Member
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    I do about 10-15 minutes of walking on a treadmill before any workout, just to get my blood moving. If i'm lifting weights, I'll usually do some dynamic stretching as well as some light sets before building up to my working weight. Basically, anything to get the kinks out... you don't want to feel stiff or fatigued before you start your work out.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »
    I do whatever it feels like my body needs that day. Whether I need some short cardio to actually warm up or just some dynamic movement, rolling, and warmup sets.

    I know how I need my body to feel before I touch my first working weight and I do what I need to get there.

    This^

    My warm up is ever changing. You need to do what you need to do to get you moving through the right ranges of motion.

    For example: if I wake up and my hip is extra grumbly I'll spend extra time digging around in my glute and my QL to counteract the problem. If it's not being an issue, that's time wasted where I could be doing something more productive/addressing a different problem.

    I do generally do a calisthenic circuit to get blood flowing through all the tissues and get the heart rate elevated slightly before I touch some weight - but I'll generally have done some movement to test stuff out, any necessary MFR type stuff to address what I've found and a short walk first.

    So OP, if you feel you need a warm-up to get you ready for the warm-up, as @DavPul says, turn up 15 mins early and do what you need specifically before hitting the general blood-pumping/heart rate raising part of the warm-up and getting into the main work.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Thank you for your perspectives !
  • Josh_lol
    Josh_lol Posts: 317 Member
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    I walk on a gradient on the treadmill for 10 mins just to get my heart rate up. It also works my calves quite a bit before I start running so I guess it warms up my legs as well.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    "What constitutes a warm up?"

    Any movement that gets you started slowly, building up to your full exercise routine. A special "warm up" routine, walking, riding the stationary bike, even doing your exercise routine slowly, at first, and/or with lighter (real light) weights. Any movement that gently gets you started.
  • GUARDiAN_GUiLD
    GUARDiAN_GUiLD Posts: 163 Member
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    Jump rope for about 12-15 minutes in 5 minute intervals. Rest period of about 2-3 minutes at most. Great for fat loss too, when done on an empty stomach. You'll shred real nice.

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    pondee629 wrote: »
    "What constitutes a warm up?"

    Any movement that gets you started slowly, building up to your full exercise routine. A special "warm up" routine, walking, riding the stationary bike, even doing your exercise routine slowly, at first, and/or with lighter (real light) weights. Any movement that gently gets you started.

    Yeah, that's my issue with the instructors approach. I dont experience it as gentle and gradual.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    I'm an old man. If I don't start slowly and get warm I just might break. You gotta go with how you feel about your instructor's approach.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    I would warm up before any class regardless of what the instructor has planned.
  • SciranBG
    SciranBG Posts: 97 Member
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    Something to elevate your heart rate while doing a non or only very lightly strenuous version of the exercise you are warming up for and/or something to take you through the range of motion for said exercise.
  • FabianRodriguez94
    FabianRodriguez94 Posts: 221 Member
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    For lifting, I like to do normal stretching for about 3 minutes. Then I usually go to one of the compound lifts I will be doing that day and start at a very low weight and work my way up to my first working set, where I initiate the actual workout.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    "What constitutes a warm up?"

    Any movement that gets you started slowly, building up to your full exercise routine. A special "warm up" routine, walking, riding the stationary bike, even doing your exercise routine slowly, at first, and/or with lighter (real light) weights. Any movement that gently gets you started.

    Yeah, that's my issue with the instructors approach. I dont experience it as gentle and gradual.

    Is that because you don't follow the instruction to take it easy?

    If too uncomfortable do 10 mins on a cardio machine beforehand
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    "What constitutes a warm up?"

    Any movement that gets you started slowly, building up to your full exercise routine. A special "warm up" routine, walking, riding the stationary bike, even doing your exercise routine slowly, at first, and/or with lighter (real light) weights. Any movement that gently gets you started.

    Yeah, that's my issue with the instructors approach. I dont experience it as gentle and gradual.

    And I would quit a class where the first 15 minutes of a 50 minutes class was a warmup. I can warmup on my own.

    And it's TRX. You can adjust the intensity of any (non-leg) exercise by changing the angle and varying speed. If it's not gradual, that's on you

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