Become bulletproof: The ultimate 5-step full body warm up
We all know we should warm up, but let’s be honest – we don’t.
I know I’m definitely guilty of having good intentions but just not following through on them whatsoever. My idea of a warm up just a few months ago was doing a few lighter sets of my first exercise.
And to be honest, that’s not actually too bad. The best warm ups are those that have you doing more work in less time. This basically means, if you’re spending too much time warming up then it will actually detract from your performance and could even be priming you for injuries. You want to be as effective as you can in as little time as you can.
Enter, the 5-step full body warm up.
This is quick and efficient. It warms the entire body up, meaning blood will be circulating throughout all your muscles – perfect for keeping your joints safe and your performance at its peak.
But most importantly, it can be done in less than 5 minutes, which is ideal for consistency. What’s the point in having the best, most intricate warm up routine if you only do it once a month? By having such a quick & simple routine, you’ll be far more consistent, meaning you’ll see the benefits in and outside of the gym.
THE FULL BODY WARM UP: EQUIPMENT LIST
This isn’t an extensive list by any means, but there are a few items you will need. These will be some of the best fitness investments you will ever make, as they’re going to save you from pain and injury time and time again.
All in all, they’ll probably set you back £20 ($30).
Foam roller
Golf/Lacrosse Ball
Light resistance band
HIP FOAM ROLL
This is the perfect exercise for loosening tight hips – a problem that can really hinder leg exercises and predispose you to injury. Moving the roller to the front and back of the legs will also help to prime the quads and hamstrings.
Areas worked:
Hips
IT band
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Glutes
How to do it:
Underhand pull aparts
These are great for hitting the rear delts and rotator cuffs - two areas that can be damaged easily if over stressed without proper preparation. It also gives the biceps & triceps a little stretch which is beneficial for all your pushing & pulling exercises.
Areas worked:
Rear delts
Rotator cuffs
Traps
Biceps
Triceps
How to do it:
Cobra stretch
Perfect for working the lower back and helping to warm up the core. This will give you improved stability and strength throughout all your lifts and really helps to prime the glutes and hamstrings too.
Areas worked:
Lower back
Upper back
Shoulders
Hamstrings
Glutes
How to do it:
Chest roll
Tight pecs can be the cause of so many underlying issues that lead to injury and prevent maximal power output. The main culprit here is rounded shoulders. By stretching your chest, not only do you injury proof it for your pressing movements but you also improve your overall health by fixing postural imbalances.
Areas worked:
Upper chest
Lower chest
Front delts
How to do it:
Wall slides
These are a bugger. They work the shoulders through a very tough range of motion but the reward to effort ratio here is bang on. Performing these will improve your posture in next to no time and have all of your exercises progressing like crazy.
Areas worked:
Rear delts
Rotator cuffs
Traps
Front delts
Medial delts
How to do it:
That’s it. Quick, easy, effective. Once you’ve done that circuit, start your first exercise with 50% of your 1 rep max for 5 reps, then 60% for 3 and finally, 70% for 1. This will be the cherry on top, ‘greasing the groove’ if you will.
This will allow you to optimise your power output whilst keeping you free from injury in the long run.
You can thank me when you’re 85 and still doing cartwheels.
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