Bodybuilder's Warm-Up Sets

Bodybuilder's Warm-Up Sets:

Warming up, a phrase loosely thrown around by trainees across the world: A proper warm-up can go a long way in increasing the body’s ability to perform. Learn why most people don't warm-up correctly and how to fix it! 

Do not stretch before you warm-up. I know, in high school you stretched then you ran your laps. This practice is flawed and does little to improve range of motion or enhance performance.

Warm muscle is more flexible than a cold muscle. My favorite analogy to describe this situation is the taffy analogy. Put a piece of taffy in the microwave heat it up and now stretch it. 

It is obviously more flexible than before you put it in the microwave, because it is warm. Stretching before the workout use dynamic range of motion stretching holding stretch 10 seconds or contract relax stretching contract muscle then stretch it. Contracting a muscle prior to stretching it allows for increased range of motion.

PROPER WARM-UP SETS:

WORK SET 300 LBS: 5 REPS WARM-UP SETS

95 lbs. 8 reps

135 lbs. 4 reps

185 lbs. 2 reps

225 lbs. 2 reps

270 lbs. 1 rep

WORK SET 250 LBS: 8 REPS WARM UP SETS

95 lbs. 8 reps

135 lbs. 4 reps

185 lbs. 2 reps

225 lbs. 1 rep

  

WORK SET 175 LBS: 15 REPS WARM UP SETS

80 lbs. 8 reps

125 lbs. 4 reps

   

WORK SET 400 LBS: 1 REP WARM UP SETS

95 lbs. 8 reps

135 lbs. 4 reps

185 lbs. 2 reps

225 lbs. 2 reps

270 lbs. 2 reps

330 lbs. 1 rep

Specific warm-up refers to performing warm-up sets before the work set. A warm-up set performed like the one above will not enhance performance. There is no need to do so many reps in one warm-up set, as this increases the likelihood of lactic acid buildup. Jumping from 135 to 225 is a no-no. The nervous system is not ready for this large increase in weight. The warm-up set above was too heavy for a first warm-up set when using 225 for the work set.

Warm-up sets vary depending on work load. As a general rule more warm-up sets are required for heavier loads. Lighter work sets require fewer warm-up sets. Below I have listed some examples of proper warm-up sets. Warming up, stretching and cooling down correctly are fundamental, yet often overlooked parts of any training program. While these components to training are very basic, many people tend to skip over a proper warm-up, stretch and cool down program and wonder why they do not feel ready to work out. 

I call these aspects of training the forgotten elements of training because they are techniques that you never see much of in gyms compared to the amount of work done on heavy sets you see. Warming up has many benefits. The main benefit to warming up is injury prevention because the blood will be pumping to an area, lowering the chance of a muscle pull or joint injury. 

Warming up isn't just a safety precaution though - it also has positive effects on a bodybuilder because after a warm-up, strength and focus should be peaked. Warming up has many physical and mental benefits.

Stretching and cooling down go hand-in-hand mostly because they come after a workout, whereas a warm up usually precedes a workout. Their main benefit is increasing recovery, and these activities also add to the overall health of the muscles.

While it will focus on warming up for a hardcore hypertrophy-inducing workout with weights, this article will also give methods of warming up for other activities such as athletic activities, a strength workout, or an endurance workout, and methods for a cool down and stretch that will maximize recovery and progress!