Warming up for your workout can either be your favourite thing or your biggest nemesis. Whether it’s because you don’t know what to do, or you just don’t think you have the time for it, warming up is something that usually gets pushed to the back burner. While not everyone believes that you should have a warm up, I believe that you need to prep your body to move in the way that you want it to move. Does that mean that you have to do 1000 exercises before you load a squat? No, but I do believe that you need to do at least a couple of bodyweight squats before you hit up a weighted back squat. Most exercises can be broken down into unweighted parts that can be used for a warm up - plank for push ups, good mornings for deadlifts, etc.
Too complicated? Choose a different solution.
Another way to look at a warm up is as a time to move your body into positions that stretch and strengthen your body at the same time while doing what the word means….warming up the muscles and joints to move. I personally love doing warm up flows and it’s something I program into every one of my workouts. Not only does it give you a chance to move with your breath, it gives you an idea of whether you’re actually in the head space to move with intention. The best part about the warm up flow is that if the world starts on fire while you’re in it, and the workout can’t happen, you’ve moved with intention and that’s a win.
Warm ups don’t have to be long or complicated. They can be short, sweet, and make you feel good.
Are you stuck on what to use as a warm up? Click here to watch and follow along with some of my favourite flows.