WARM-UPS FOR RESISTANCE TRAINING
A warm-up is simply a routine or series of exercises performed prior to training or performance that aims to prepare the body for the activity that follows.
Warm-ups do not have to be complicated and lengthy, they simply need to tick off a few key boxes:
*Firstly, we need to increase blood flow to the tissues we will be using in order to decrease the chance of soft tissue injury.
*Secondly, we need to optimise the range of motion available at our joints to ensure we have the adequate mobility required for exercise.
*Thirdly, we need to activate the appropriate muscles we need to recruit for our working sets in order to decrease compensation from other areas.
*Lastly, we need to practice the skill and movement patterns we will be performing to ensure our nervous system is primed for the task.
What exactly is required to tick these boxes will depend on your own individual anatomy and injury history, which is where working with a health practitioner with experience in lifting is extremely beneficial. But if you are serious about staying healthy and keeping yourself in the gym, please do not skip over this part of your training!
Chris Bryceson
B. Health Sciences (Physio), APAM
CB Physiotherapy