Strength Training Warm-up Dos and Don’ts

Uncertainty about what to do to warm-up before a strength workout is a common feeling. In the search to answer this question, you will likely come across many different answers, causing confusion and getting in the way of actually starting a strength training routine. 

To help simplify and demystify what a warm-up routine looks like, here are my dos and don’ts of warming up for an effective strength training session.

The Dos

1) Do move your body with a low intensity form of exercise for 5 minutes to quite literally warm yourself up

The first half of an effective warm-up session is warming our bodies up. When our bodies are warmer, our muscles work more efficiently and we have more mobility in our joints and elasticity in our soft tissue structures (think muscles, tendons and ligaments). Because of this, completing any type of low intensity movement before a strength workout is helpful. This can look like walking, slow running, cycling, elliptical use or a body weight exercise circuit at a slow pace. 

Complete your choice of low intensity movement for at least 5 minutes, or until you start to feel a light warmth throughout your body.

2) Do complete movements that replicate the specific movements of the strengthening session

The second half of an effective warm-up is completing the movements of the workout, but at an easier intensity than is programmed in the workout itself. This prepares our body to efficiently carry out the movements and work it will be doing. It also prepares our body and mind to work together to complete the exercises at the moderate-to-hard intensity level that strengthening exercises involve. 

This does not need to be complicated. It most frequently will mean completing the movements of the workout, with no weights or lighter weights prior to completing the weights prescribed for main strength workout. 

An example of this for back squats is prior to doing back squats with 95 lbs (for example), do 5-8 squat repetitions with no weight, 5-8 repetitions with the 45 lb bar and then 2-4 repetitions with 65-75 lbs.

3) Do add in movements to specifically warm-up an area of current or recent injury

The difference in elasticity, mobility and load tolerance of warm joints and tissues versus cold is exaggerated while an injured region is in the process of repairing and rebuilding. Because of this, it can be useful to complete comfortable movements specifically involving the area of concern. 

An example of this would be completing 5 minutes of cycling on a stationary bike prior to a lower body workout if you are managing and rebuilding from a knee injury.

If you do have a specific area of concern and are not sure what warm-up movements will best prepare you for workouts, seeking individualized advice from a physiotherapist experienced with strength training can be helpful.

The Don’ts

1) Don’t over complicate your warm-up

I have seen in gym settings and heard for training partners and physio patients of warm-up routines that are almost as long as the workout itself. Sometimes with multiple forms of rolling, stretching and engaging multiple movement patterns and muscles. 

If this sounds familiar and I am describing a routine that works for you, that is amazing! Everyone is different and if this type of routine works for you then stick with it!

If this style of long and complicated routine is something you’ve seen and wondered about, let me set the record straight. Longer and more complicated warm-ups are rarely the best warm-up. This is especially true if you are new to strength training.

You can toss the long list of warm-up exercises to the side and shift to 5 minutes of low intensity movements and a few repetitions of the movement you will be doing during your workout.

2) Don’t tire yourself out during your warm-up

A common warm-up error is spending so much time and energy warming up for your strength workout that when you begin the actual workout you are tired. This don’t is related to don’t #1 of overcomplicating your warm-up. The more exercises you do as a warm-up, the more you risk taking away from your ability to have a quality and effective strength training session.

To avoid this error, complete only a streamlined selection of warm-up movements to prepare your body for the strengthening exercises and keep the intensity of the 5 minute general warm-up to be truly at a low and easy intensity. The aim is to be able to breathe normally and carry on a conversation throughout the warm-up

3) Don’t shame yourself if you don’t complete a warm-up

Situations when a warm-up makes the biggest difference in the safety and effectiveness of a workout are when a workout is requiring a maximal effort of speed or power. If you are testing your 1 rep maximum of back squats, a warm-up is important to be able to move the heaviest weight possible in the safest way. When doing max speed sprinting, or seeing how close your vertical jump is to the NBA players a warm-up will play an important role.

For the vast majority of strength workouts, completing a warm-up can be helpful, but is not essential. (That may be shocking to read when written by a physiotherapist). As discussed relating to avoiding tiring yourself during your warm-up, this is especially true when you are new or recently returning to strengthening workouts. 

When you are first getting into regular strength workouts, it is okay to jump right into the main workout. If you are someone who struggles to consistently complete strength workouts due to time constraints, dropping the requirement of a warm-up can be key to fitting a workout into your routine. 

In summary

• Do include at least 5 minutes of low intensity exercise to literally warm up your body. 

• Do complete repetitions of the main movements of the workout at a reduced difficulty level.

• Do add in movements to specifically warm-up an area of current or recent injury.

• Don’t over complicate your warm-up with lengthy routines.

• Don’t complete a warm-up routine that has you fatigued for your main workout.

• Don’t let lack of time, energy or uncertainty about your warm-up get in the way of your strength workout.

Looking for help in building your strength training warm-up routine after an injury?

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