all posts post new thread

Other/Mixed Warm up or no warm up, that´s the question

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Oscar

Oscar

Level 7 Valued Member
I am a bit confused about warm ups. Are they needed or not?

For instance, when doing GTG, we are doing pure strength exercises, and we are not warming up. We just lift one leg and do a pistol, without previous goblet squats, without doing light exercises before, etc. The way I used to see things before coming to SF, this was bad idea. But, as GTG is being done throughout the day, maybe the body remains ready from the previous set, at least mobility-wise?

On the other hand, S&S has a very specific warm up. And in my case it seems to be very beneficial, every set of goblet squats I´m more capable of going deeper, so something good is happening there.

And to contribute to my confusion, some people use TGU as a warm up, which is the last exercise of S&S.

So what is your take on warm ups? In particular for:

- GTG
- Pure strength training but not GTG, like a dedicated powerlifting program or deadlift program or similar.
- For conditioning/strength exercises, such as swing or snatches
 
Last edited:
It's one of those "it depends" cases.

With GTG you're using only 50-70% of what you're capable off and most of the times just with bodyweight exercises. Even if you use it for big barbell compounds like DLs or squats you're still only in that relatively low intensity range. That shouldn't be a problem if you go at it with "cold" muscles.
Powerlifting routines on the other hand are different animals. Most of them have starting intensities of 70-80% 1RM and go up to 95-100% or even beyond that. Additionally you're most likely moving weights that are multiple times your own bodyweight.
There are those who can lift 2x bodyweight, who can just step up to 80-90% of their 1RM and lift it, but I think that's not the case for the majority of people.
Personally when I go heavy (75%+ of 1RM) I want at least some reps at lower intensities to accustom my body to the heavier weights. I don't need that with any kind of bodyweight exercise or lower intensity lifts.

AFAIK the warm-up in S&S isn't necessary for the main routine. You should be able to go right into the swings. This is just logical IMO, because the swings are low intensity.
I know you can't really speak of things like 1RM with KB ballistics, but you're using a weight that you can do multiple sets of 5-10reps with. You simply wouldn't be able to do that with a weight that's really high intensity for you.
The main reason for the warm-up in S&S is to improve your overall mobility and movement quality. That it also gets you warm for the main routine is just a nice side effect.

Oscar said:
So what is your take on warm ups? In particular for:

- GTG
- Pure strength training but not GTG, like a dedicated powerlifting program or deadlift program or similar.
- For conditioning/strength exercises, such as swing or snatches
Click to expand...
- GTG: no
- PL routine etc.: for most people yes
- swings, snatches, sprints etc.: no***

***especially for sprints, snatches etc. and to some degree for GTG also I think of the quote "Have you ever seen a lion warm-up and stretch before he goes for his prey?" Of course not because that are the things you should be able to do without warming up.
 
I don't warm up for GTG because the reps are ~50% of max, I stop the reps well before I get tired.

S&S is/has been the only program I've ever been on, and I do the warm-up drills from the book (and ETK) each time (halos, goblet squat and/or face-the-wall squat, hip bridge and/or pump stretch, occasional arm bar). If it's my first session coming off the weekend (when I don't train) I may throw in some single or two-arm deadlifts to pattern the motion in slow motion. I work an office job so I need the warm-ups; my swings are at most 70% as powerful if I do them cold.

I am on the Daily Dose Deadlift plan now; my warm-up for that is 2-3 sets of 5 heavy (70 lb) goblet squats, then 3-5 deadlift reps at 135 and 2-3 reps at an intermediate weight between 135 and the work set weight. I do 2-3 pull-ups between the single rep work sets, just 'cause.

For my weekly church softball games (cardio?), I'll do some bodyweight squats, maybe some 80% brief sprints and backwards jog. Whatever gets my heart rate slightly elevated for the duration of the game. I like to 80% sprint to/from my position in the field between innings.
 
My practice is basically in line with what others have said and what I posted on that previous thread.

For training, in most cases nothing.

For high % of 1RM work sets I might ramp up with a few progressive singles, but no general warm up for the session as a whole.

Any mobility/flexibility/movement skill or patterning stuff, I consider part of my work for the day, not warm up or preparation. If it's a big priority for me that day I might do it first in order to make sure I get it in and don't blow it off later, but not to "warm up."

I've never done S&S strictly by the book, but I don't consider the "warm up" exercises to be an actual warm up as much as supplements/complements to the main exercises. If someone wanted to do them separately or afterward I don't think that would be problematic.

For competitive sporting events I think it's a bit of a different story.
 
in my opinion one can do the warm up one gets used to. And that depends...
when competent with a lift, a move, done frequently, with great set up, overall good mobility, not feeling stiff, no soreness, no distraction, good body temperature (no cold extremities)... one can get along with almost no warm up to some relatively high % in my opinion.

For instance, as I am used to train a bit later in the day, I would do some motion in the first hour after going out of bed, because I am not used to train "early" on my day. To getting used to takes some time with some gathered experience along the way.
 
1) If in doubt, warm up.
2) If joints don't provide you with the range of motion that you know you own, mobilize. Halos, goblet squats, arm bars, etc.
3) If you've been inactive (i.e. sitting), move the body enough to fire up the aerobic system and get the blood flowing.
4) If doing something that requires skill (i.e. kettlebell military press), prime the system with something like a bottom-up press with lighter bell.
5) If you feel clumsy and uncoordinated, or the brain and body are not communicating, do something like OS resets, sun salutations, or light get-ups. Magic movement prep.

That's sort of what I go by. But I sit at a desk all day for work, and I'm almost 50 years old. I give my body what it needs to perform well.
 
I'll add, too, relative to the 5/3/1 program that I just spend 12 weeks on, I really enjoyed the warm-up sets. I was able to focus on technique without the weight being heavy, and also learn to apply the same technique to variable weights.
 
Thanks all for the replies, its starting to make some sense to me now. Basically no warm up is needed, except for heavy lifts above 70% or 80% of 1RM. For those lifts, the typical ramping can prime the body for when things get heavy (so in this case no specific warm up is required either). And always subject to the body working ok before the session, so the checklist of 5 items kindly supplied by @Anna C has to be checked in advance (thanks Anna I have bookmarked this one).

In any case, it appears that doing a bunch of goblet squats will take no time, improve range of motion, get the blood flowing and prime most of the main muscle groups.

@Steve W. @Sean M agreed that for a specific sport a proper warm up is required, for injury prevention and optimal performance. Not so for training.

I am still a bit surprised that warm up is not required for GTG. Lets say I can do 5 pistols in a row. Since I can do 5 reps, the load of 1 pistol can be estimated to be about 85% of 1RM. Also, as recommended by GTG programs, if I can max at 5 reps, I should GTG with about 2 reps per set. So basically I am doing a lift of about 85% 1RM without warm up? I have done it and it works, but it still calls my attention.
 
Last edited:
Oscar said:
I am still a bit surprised that warm up is not required for GTG. Lets say I can do 5 pistols in a row. Since I can do 5 reps, the load of 1 pistol can be estimated to be about 85% of 1RM. Also, as recommended by GTG programs, if I can max at 5 reps, I should GTG with about 2 reps per set. So basically I am doing a lift of about 85% 1RM without warm up? I have done it and it works, but it still calls my attention.
Click to expand...
I GTG pull-ups, and can do 6 neutral grip pull-ups. So to GTG I do 2-3 a few times throughout most days. I would call it 33-50% of max. In your case, 1 pistol of 5 possible is 20%.

Another way to think of it - would you warm up to demonstrate someone 5 push-ups if you can crank out 25 no problem? No, hence, no need to warm up for GTG.
 
I am in the warm-up camp. Yes it is possible to do all manner of exertion without, but as I get older the warmup is more important physically.
When I was younger it was more important mentally.
I can forgo, but only if the workout is structured so the initial work is more or less the same as a warmup...

If convenient, yes - why the heck not!

If not convenient and not needed (!?), don't bother.
 
Definitely the S&S warmups are beneficial and not just as warmups! The big question is whether I care or not, hahaha! Goblet squats are a very good thing to do as are back bridges. Still, there are lunge squats and similar plank like stuff to bridges in the TGUs. Bodyweight squats are just so much easier to get motivated for than goblet squats, since the goblet squats aren't really a focus of the programme anyhow. I do bodyweight squats usually in the warmup instead of the harder and more beneficial goblet ones.

I guess in my thinking it's a case of, it's better to do the warmups but maybe only like 5% worse if you don't, so in the bit picture, who cares too much?
 
I have suppressed all warm-ups. I do short mobility work every morning, I walk a lot during the day, so I usually am somehow already warm and mobile when I get to the gym.
Even when I go first thing in the morning, I have to walk 10-15 min, which is enough for me. I may then just do a few more mobility work prior to the lifts, but not much.

At the moment, my lifts are all in the 70-100% 1TRM.

Sessions are shorter, I like it.
 
My shoulders and back are eat up with arthritis so I really have no choice but to do the warmups and some joint mobility. Sometimes it's hard to get motivated but by the time I get done I always feel better and glad I did them. Same with stretching afterwards.
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom