{"id":270745,"date":"2025-07-18T01:08:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T01:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/270745\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T01:08:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T01:08:20","slug":"a-pt-shares-how-to-warm-up-properly-for-strength-training-and-when-you-can-skip-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/270745\/","title":{"rendered":"A PT shares how to warm up properly for strength training \u2013 and when you can skip it"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you tend to make a beeline for the treadmill<\/a> the moment you set foot in the gym, regardless of what your session looks like, you definitely aren\u2019t the only one. For many, it\u2019s a habit forged from years of having to run laps of an uneven field ahead of a school PE lesson. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s widely accepted that doing a little cardiovascular activity before moving in to your workout is a decent enough method, and sometimes that is absolutely the case. But, once you dig into what you actually need to achieve by warming up your body before strength training<\/a> \u2013 and what the whole point of it is \u2013 you may realise that jogging isn\u2019t the most effective way to prime your body to lift weights<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Warming up isn\u2019t just about increasing your heart rate and getting the blood flowing. It\u2019s about ensuring your body is ready for what comes next, so you have the best chance at doing your workout to the best of your ability while minimising injury risk. Unsure where to start? Here, personal trainer Andy Vincent<\/a> breaks down exactly what you need from a solid warm-up ahead of your weights session.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the purpose of a warm-up?<\/p>\n

Essentially, a warm-up is intended to prepare your body for the movement that follows, specifically when you\u2019re training above your baseline activity \u2013 whether weight lifting, doing HIIT<\/a>, or any other type of physical activity. \u2018During a workout, the tissues are going to be taken to a much greater force development requirement. The muscles will need to stretch and contract under load, so we want to make sure that we prepare the tissues for that,\u2019 says Vincent.<\/p>\n

Another element of warming up is getting the central nervous system (CNS) engaged and activated. Your CNS is responsible for initiating and controlling muscle contractions so, you can imagine, it\u2019s extremely helpful to prep it for what\u2019s to come in your training session. \u2018Muscle activation<\/a> with a mini band is something of a hot topic, but what we care more about is movement preparation,\u2019 says Vincent. \u2018Having joints coordinated and stabilisers starting to work.\u2019<\/p>\n

You weren\u2019t misled: improving blood flow and raising your body temperature is key before a workout. \u2018Muscle becomes more pliable, like elastic, when it gets warmer,\u2019 Vincent says. This enhances performance and reduces injury risk.<\/p>\n

Finally, warming up helps to improve your mental focus. It gets you ready and in the zone, mentally, to train, and reduces distraction.<\/p>\n

\"oneHirurg<\/p>\n

Warming up boosts blood flow and makes muscles more pliable \u2013 helping improve performance and reduce injury risk<\/p>\n

Is it ever OK to skip a warm-up before weights?<\/p>\n

Do you always have to do a warm up before you workout? Not always, according to Vincent. But, it really depends on the circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u2018There is some research that shows that potentially warming up could be more detrimental than positive. That being said, I would feel uneasy making someone go into a strength workout without doing some sort of movement prep beforehand,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

So, when is it OK to bypass? If you\u2019re doing high reps, and therefore lifting lighter loads, doing movements that aren\u2019t all that complex, Vincent gives you the green light to skip your warm-up. \u2018If I was going to do an abs and arm workout<\/a>, I’m not warming up. There’s absolutely no point,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

If, however, your rep ranges decrease to 8 or less \u2013 and therefore the load increases \u2013 he advises priming your body before you lift. \u2018If I’m doing low-rep training, then I want to make sure that I prepare myself simply because the amount of external load is going to be so much greater than it would be if I was doing 12, 15, or 20 reps,\u2019 Vincent says. \u2018Even if someone’s doing 20 reps of a leg press, it’s not going to be that heavy. If you come down to 6 reps, it’s going to be significantly heavier.\u2019<\/p>\n

Lifting experience can also influence how you warm-up, simply because you\u2019re more aware of what your body needs going into a training session. \u2018For example, I know that if I’m doing horizontal pull variations, I don’t really need to warm up for it \u2013 I don’t feel any better for it,\u2019 Vincent says. \u2018Whereas, if I’m doing pressing movements, then I would need to. Additionally, your injury<\/a> history will help inform when you need to warm-up. \u2018I’ve had a back injury, an ankle injury and a shoulder injury, so if I’m working through a joint that I know has a previous history of injury, I’m going to want to warm-up,\u2019 Vincent says.<\/p>\n

In summary, unless you\u2019re doing high-rep training with light weights, you probably need to warm-up first.<\/p>\n

Should you do a treadmill warm-up before weights?<\/p>\n

\u2018Warming up on any piece of cardiovascular kit is certainly not essential,\u2019 Vincent says. Getting heat into your body via cardiovascular training isn\u2019t always a requirement before lifting, he clarifies.<\/p>\n

That said, there are scenarios when it can be incredibly useful \u2013 including if you tend to train early in the morning. \u2018If I have a client that I know is going to be training early, and they’re getting straight out of bed, sitting in a car and going to the gym, and their body hasn\u2019t really woken up and they aren\u2019t yet alert, then it can be nice to do a cardio warm-up,\u2019 Vincent says. This is because, generally, the most complex and demanding exercise is done first in a training session, for when you typically have the most energy and your muscles aren\u2019t fatigued from other lifts. However, if you\u2019re sleepy going into a session, it may take you a couple of exercises to settle in and feel more awake. In this case, a short cardio warm-up can help you feel ready and primed from the start of your workout.<\/p>\n

Separately, if you just enjoy beginning your training sessions with a burst of cardio \u2013 that\u2019s totally OK. <\/p>\n

Related Story Should you do a stretch before weights?<\/p>\n

Honestly? Static stretching<\/a> before strength training is probably pointless, in most cases. This kind of ‘warming up’, Vincent says, has been associated with increased risk of injury. \u2018There’s research that shows doing long, static, holds of 90 seconds to two minutes before a jump squat reduces force output. But, no one’s doing a two-minute hold and then instantly going off and trying to jump,\u2019 he says. \u2018But, that being said, mechanistically I don’t see the point in doing static long holds.\u2019<\/p>\n

The only exception? If you have very limited range of motion through a movement pattern you\u2019re going to be doing in your session. \u2018If you’ve got very, very tight calves, or very tight ankles and you’re squatting, then a static hold could be useful. Or, if someone doesn’t have the ability to go into shoulder flexor, it would make sense to do some work to open out that range of motion,\u2019 Vincent says. \u2018Otherwise, I put most of my focus on two more active forms of mobility.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"seriousyacobchuk<\/p>\n

Dead hangs help open up tight shoulders and improve range of motion before pressing exercises<\/p>\n

What makes a good strength training warm-up?<\/p>\n

There are six steps to work through when figuring out what your ideal warm-up looks like (but, don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not as complicated \u2013 or time-consuming as it sounds).
<\/p>\n

1\/ Consider your limitations<\/p>\n

The first step is to consider your limitations \u2013 any areas of previous injury or reduced mobility that may need specific attention.<\/p>\n

\u2018If someone knows they’ve got a history of back injury, for example, they will therefore want to make sure they have mobilised their spine and addressed restriction in the shoulder, restriction in the ankle and restriction in the hip,’ Vincent cautions. ‘Then, you would mobilise specifically for your own limitations.\u2019<\/p>\n

Of course, in order to warm-up for your limitations you need to know what they actually are \u2013 and not all of us do so. Vincent says this step is not always going to be applicable to everyone.<\/p>\n

2\/ Warm up for the specific demands of the session<\/p>\n

\u2018Logically, I don’t need to warm-up my legs if I’m going to do an upper-body workout, and vice versa,\u2019 says Vincent. \u2018So, think of the demands of the workout and mobilise accordingly.\u2019 Warming up the hips and ankles is a good place to start if you\u2019re going to be doing squats, for example.
<\/p>\n

3\/ Do some general dynamic movement<\/p>\n

This step isn\u2019t essential, particularly if you\u2019re doing a limitation- and session-specific warm-up, but can be good to have in your back pocket \u2013 especially so if you\u2019re doing a group training class, for instance, and are unsure of what the workout will entail.<\/p>\n

\u2018The nice thing about dynamic movement flows is that they can be quite good for getting the heart rate up and driving blood flow without cardio,\u2019 Vincent says.<\/p>\n

You may know dynamic movement as the more generally named mobility training. In short, it involves doing exercises that improve your range of motion.<\/p>\n

Research published in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation<\/a> this year revealed that dynamic warm-ups play a \u2018pivotal role in injury prevention by preparing the body both physically and mentally for physical activity.\u2019<\/p>\n

4\/ Decide if you want to do cardio or not <\/p>\n

Cardio before strength training, as we\u2019ve already covered, is optional. It\u2019s not necessary, but if you enjoy doing it or experience benefits such as increased alertness from doing it, that\u2019s totally fine.
<\/p>\n

5\/ Consider doing some plyometric<\/a> work if you\u2019re going to be lifting heavy<\/p>\n

\u2018Lots of people use mini bands to activate the muscles, but another great option is to move your body a bit quicker,\u2019 says Vincent. \u2018Doing things like hops, bounds, med ball slams and other power-based movements can be a really nice way to prepare someone \u2013 especially if they’re going to go and do something that’s very explosive or they’re going to be lifting heavy.\u2019 This type of movement is again optional, but gets the CNS firing.
<\/p>\n

6\/ Do some ramped warm-up sets
<\/p>\n

Vincent\u2019s bread and butter where warming up for strength training is concerned are ramped sets. This is where you prime your body for the main exercise by performing the exercise at a much lighter load, and gradually working up. So, you may warm up for heavy deadlifts by first doing the movement with an empty barbell, before gradually increasing the load for a few sets until you reach the programmed load for your session.<\/p>\n

Warm-up exercises to try today
<\/p>\n

Looking for some inspo ahead of your next strength training session? Vincent recommends trying this general dynamic movement flow<\/a>, and tweaking to accommodate your limitations and upcoming session. <\/p>\n

\u2018It runs through the principle that I discussed where I do a bit of static work based on my own limitations, then I do some active work, starting to move through ranges of motion, and then onto a dynamic movement flow,\u2019 he says. \u2018I consider this type of thing to be very general \u2013 yes, I’m getting some ankle ability, yes, I’m getting some hip mobility, yes, I’m getting some spinal rotation, but it’s not bang-on specific.’<\/p>\n

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