Wednesday Training Tip

Understand the Two Types of Warm-Ups

 

Charles R. Poliquin believed that a warm-up for an Iron Game athlete consisted of chalking their hands. Not really, but pretty close.

There are essentially two types of warm-ups, general and specific. A general warm-up increases the functional ability of an athlete, such as by increasing body temperature. Muscles contract faster and harder at higher temperatures. Performing simple calisthenics, walking bristly, or jump roping are examples of general warm-ups.

A specific warm-up prepares the nervous system and reinforces movement patterns associated with an exercise. Performing warm-up sets of progressively heavy weights for a particular exercise is an example of a specific warm-up.

With exercises that use multiple muscle groups through a large range of motion, simply performing warm-up sets with progressively heavier weights can make a general warm-up unnecessary. (TSS)

BOTTOM LINE: Understand the two types of warm-ups to train harder and lift heavier.

— Photo by Viviana Podhaiski, LiftingLife.com

Scroll to Top

Join The All-New Dojo

All new programs for women’s training, combat sports, and performance.