"Warm up" Before weights?

Runemist34 started this discussion · 2/17/2013

Hey everyone! I've been told time and time again that I should be warming up before weight training... but I'd really like to get some sit ups and such in during the morning, to help me wake up! It would also allow me a little more time during the day, in case I don't get a full workout in (for whatever reason) to get some strength training in on certain areas that I would like to get a little stronger. Good examples would be my physiotherapy for my knees and shoulders. So, do I really NEED to be warming up before I do this? What kind of warm up can I do? Do I just have to be physically warm (such as just after a shower, or out of bed?), or do I actually need to do some cardio for 10 minutes (which, unfortunately, would basically negate the whole point of this thing I want to do)? Any ideas, otherwise?

13 replies

Sassafrassle · 2/17/2013
I have a few exercises I do (calf raises, closed eye balance, leg lifts) as physio for some leg imbalances that I don't do with a warm up (do after I get up in the morning or before I go to bed) and I think that's fine. Things like that are relatively gentle but also dynamic and warming in their own right so I can't see why you'd need a separate warm up. I think warming up before doing actual weights is a bit different, presumably because of the more intense muscle action? I can't give you technical reasons but these things seem logical to me:) The only thing I would say is that, to me, sometimes exercises seem harder without a warm up though but that could just be 'cos the old body's not as young as it used to be;p
Elektra Vallens · 2/17/2013
If I understand correctly, the basic question is whether or not you need to warm up before doing some sit-ups, right? I don't think you really need to, but if you're worried about it you could do one of two things. A quick full-body warm up, like 25 jumping jacks, which will take only a minute or two, or you could start with something that will warm your abs up a little first, like a hollow body hold for 30 seconds. Lay on your back on the floor, making sure your lower back is touching the floor. Lift your arms by your sides, and your legs at a 90 angle to your body. Try to keep the abs engaged; i.e. the feeling of pressing them back toward the spine. Slowly lower your legs as far as you can without letting your lower back leave the floor. Hold there for 30 seconds, or as long as you can.
Runemist34 · 2/17/2013
Elektra- Not just sit ups. Say if I wanted to do my physio for my knees and shoulders, do some sit ups, and work on my push ups? And that hollow body hold sounds like it would be more brutal than sit ups Oo;
honeybadger · 2/17/2013
I think it really depends on how much you're looking to do and how much of the body you want to use. If you just want to one part, you could probably start with some slow movement-- say for abs, easy standing side bends or standing knee lifts with a tiny crunch downward. But I think if you're trying to work several parts, it might just be easiest to take 2 minutes for easy rhythmic motion to get blood flowing and let everything feel warmer. I think just a minute or 2 of easy movement, whether general full body movement if you want to cover multiple parts or focused to the part/ area, is helpful to get a better range of motion and to feel more comfortable and stronger. Most days I do some therapy on my certain parts when I first wake, and when I want/ need to get into it fast, I use my first toilet to start moving and put on a lotion* (motion+massage can warm up faster) then do my thing, then do concluding stretches in the shower and lastly shower for hygiene. Sorry for any TMI. But I make my students recite their sexual organs' names on day 1 in class, so... well... yeah. * any lotion, not just a muscle liniment, is fine. But a muscle liniment may help you feel warmer and "looser" faster.
Elektra Vallens · 2/17/2013
Unfortunately, I can kind of only go on my own experience here- I often do push-ups and sit-ups without any warm-up. If you do want a warm-up, I'd say 25 jumping jacks or 2 minutes of running in place (i.e., a light warm-up, not the full deal you'd do for poling or stretching) should be enough. The hollow body hold came to mind because it's something we do as an ab warm-up in aerials classes. You could try a modified version, with your legs close to vertical, and adjust the time, like trying for a count of 10, if 30 is too long. As for a warm-up for physio for your knees and shoulders- I'd rather leave that to someone who knows more about it. Hope that helps.
SkylerWither · 2/18/2013
I am somewhat confused... you said warm-up before weights but then spoke of sit-ups. When I think weights, I think like push presses, snatches, deadlifts, clean-jerks, etc. You should warm-up before any weight workout. Before I do any lifts, I do rotational warm-ups like head/neck, shoulder, hips rotations, then I hit up line warmups like high knees, butt-kickers, slow bear crawls, then depending on what my focus for the day is, air squats, push ups, a few burpees. If I am working anything with my shoulder or upper back I do this warm-up.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oG11fZ0TR8 ; I would do regular warm-ups before weighted sit-ups for sure. Butterfly sit-ups are awesome for warming-up!
Runemist34 · 2/18/2013
Skyler- Okay, well, most of that was exercises I don't understand... but my main question was that if I was going to do some LIGHT strength training, do I need to warm up? If so, why?
SkylerWither · 2/18/2013
Even if its light, you are working the muscles and doing so without warming up could possibly cause more soreness, injury, pain later, etc. I am always precautious and warm up no matter what
SkylerWither · 2/18/2013
Even if its light, you are working the muscles and doing so without warming up could possibly cause more soreness, injury, pain later, etc. I am always precautious and warm up no matter what
SkylerWither · 2/18/2013
Even if its light, you are working the muscles and doing so without warming up could possibly cause more soreness, injury, pain later, etc. I am always precautious and warm up no matter what
SkylerWither · 2/18/2013
Even if its light, you are working the muscles and doing so without warming up could possibly cause more soreness, injury, pain later, etc. I am always precautious and warm up no matter what
Runemist34 · 2/18/2013
Okay, so what KIND of warm up should I be going for? Can I just take a hot shower, or do I actually have to be doing cardio for 20 mintues just to do 20 situps in the morning?
trickivix · 2/19/2013
If you're only doing light resistance training, you could just do same range of motion exercises. The purpose of a warm up is to get the muscles ready for the stress you are about to put on them. Depending on the exercises you are about to do, you could just do lighter options. e.g. if you are doing sit ups, you could first start with some slow and controlled ab curls where only your head and shoulders come off the ground (rather than lifting all the way up into a sit up). If you are using weights or resistance bands for your shoulder exercises, do a warm up by moving your shoulders in the same motion without the resistance and focus on the contraction of the muscles. It is common for weight lifters to warm up by first performing the exercise with a much lighter weight, before doing their normal lifting weight. By doing so, they are heating up the muscles and making them more elastic for the same range of motion. You will be using the same concept here.