How to Warm Up Properly
A proper warm-up prepares your body for the demands of training, reduces injury risk, and can actually improve your performance. Yet most people either skip it entirely or do it poorly.
Why Warm Up?
Physical Benefits
- Increases blood flow to muscles
- Raises muscle temperature (warmer muscles contract more forcefully)
- Improves joint lubrication (synovial fluid production)
- Activates the nervous system (better muscle recruitment)
Performance Benefits
- Lift more weight thanks to better muscle activation
- Better range of motion for safer, more effective reps
- Mental preparation for the workout ahead
The Components of a Good Warm-Up
1. General Warm-Up (3-5 minutes)
Light activity to raise your heart rate and body temperature:
- Brisk walking on incline treadmill
- Light cycling
- Rowing machine at easy pace
- Jumping jacks
Goal: Break a light sweat and feel warmer.
2. Dynamic Stretching (5-7 minutes)
Moving stretches that take your joints through their full range of motion:
Lower Body:
- Leg swings (forward/back and side-to-side)
- Walking lunges with twist
- Bodyweight squats
- Hip circles
- Ankle circles
Upper Body:
- Arm circles (small to large)
- Band pull-aparts
- Wall slides
- Shoulder rotations
- Cat-cow stretches
Key: These should be controlled but active movements, not static holds.
3. Movement-Specific Warm-Up
Prepare for the specific exercises you’re about to do:
For Squats:
- Bodyweight squats × 10
- Goblet squats (light weight) × 10
- Empty bar squats × 10
- 50% working weight × 5
- 70% working weight × 3
- 85% working weight × 1-2
- Begin working sets
For Bench Press:
- Arm circles × 10 each direction
- Push-ups × 10
- Band pull-aparts × 15
- Empty bar × 10
- 50% working weight × 8
- 70% working weight × 5
- 85% working weight × 2-3
- Begin working sets
Sample Complete Warm-Up
This warm-up works for most strength training sessions:
Minutes 0-3: General
Jump rope or jog in place for 2-3 minutes
Minutes 3-8: Dynamic Stretching
- Arm circles: 10 each direction
- Leg swings: 10 each leg, each direction
- Walking lunges: 10 total
- Inchworms: 5 reps
- World’s greatest stretch: 5 each side
- Band pull-aparts: 15 reps
Minutes 8-12: Movement-Specific
- Ramping sets for your first exercise (see above)
Common Warm-Up Mistakes
1. Skipping It Entirely
“I’m in a hurry” leads to poor performance and potential injury. Even 5 minutes is better than nothing.
2. Static Stretching Before Lifting
Traditional static stretching (holding a stretch for 30+ seconds) can actually reduce strength and power output if done before lifting.
Save static stretching for after your workout.
3. Going Too Hard
The warm-up shouldn’t fatigue you. If you’re breathing heavily or your muscles are burning, you’ve done too much.
4. Not Being Specific
A warm-up should prepare you for what you’re about to do. Warming up on the treadmill before an upper body day misses the point.
5. Same Warm-Up Every Time
- Lower body day needs more hip and leg work
- Upper body day needs more shoulder and thoracic work
- Tailor your warm-up to the session
When to Spend More Time Warming Up
- First thing in the morning (body is stiff)
- Cold environments
- After sitting all day
- When training a movement you struggle with
- As you get older (joints need more prep)
Quick 5-Minute Warm-Up (For When You’re Rushed)
- Jumping jacks: 30 seconds
- Bodyweight squats: 10
- Push-ups: 10
- Leg swings: 10 each leg
- Arm circles: 10 each direction
- Light warm-up sets for first exercise
This isn’t ideal but it’s much better than nothing.
Warming Up with FitnessCoach
FitnessCoach includes customized warm-up recommendations based on:
- The exercises in your workout
- Your training history
- Areas where you need extra mobility work
Never wonder “what should I do to warm up?” again.