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- Thread starter jan_banan
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I like Woody Harrelson's character's view from Zombieland on the topic; have you ever seen a lion limber up before taking down a gazelle?
That said, some stretches and a few light lifts couldn't hurt.
AderynGlas
Member
2 x 500m's on the rower help get me in the mood, I only do some light life on squats and/or if I'm aching.
Mhm still confusedis it a place i can read about this, how Brian want us too do this?
just do a couple of warm up sets for lower body and a couple for upperbody.
Brixtonian
Active Member
Warm ups are hugely important, especially as you get older.
A common concensus is a few minutes on a stationary cycle or rower, or the like, to raise heart-rate, then, as mentioned above by Faz and Tman, some light sets on the exercises you're working.
I also like to do some joint rotations and mobilisations, as my joints are getting old and knackered!
I also do some light rotator cuff exercises, as I've had a few years of issues with them in the past.
Stretching should only be done after the workout, as it can affect your performance - there was a study done on this years ago - and always once the muscle is warmed up anyway.
My warm up, as others do above, can take 20 minutes or so, in total. Just make sure it doesnt become a workout in itself....save your strength for the proper lifting.
Brix
A common concensus is a few minutes on a stationary cycle or rower, or the like, to raise heart-rate, then, as mentioned above by Faz and Tman, some light sets on the exercises you're working.
I also like to do some joint rotations and mobilisations, as my joints are getting old and knackered!
I also do some light rotator cuff exercises, as I've had a few years of issues with them in the past.
Stretching should only be done after the workout, as it can affect your performance - there was a study done on this years ago - and always once the muscle is warmed up anyway.
My warm up, as others do above, can take 20 minutes or so, in total. Just make sure it doesnt become a workout in itself....save your strength for the proper lifting.
Brix
TangoDown
Member
As you get older, you tend to get tighter, which can effect form and thus cause injury. PNF and myofascial release are both good methods of limbering up. Just make sure that if you PNF, you do it after you're sufficiently warmed up because you're essentially stretching your muscles past the ROM your CNS is allowing normally and if you're cold, you have a chance of tearing something. After a workout is sufficient warmup for PNF. And because PNF places a strain on the CNS and muscles alike, it should not be done on consecutive days.
Myofascial release can be done with a foam roller, or a tennis ball or pvc pipe for smaller muscles. You can do it as often as you want. It can be done on the spine too for spinal mobilization, but make sure you don't do it on your cervical or lumbar areas because there's not a lot of muscle so you put excess strain on the discs if you were to foam roll there. Otherwise, any dense area of muscle, you can do fascia release. You can become a lot more limber and flexible this way. One of the best times to do it is after you workout. You can replace your arbitrary stretching routine with it. In fact, static stretching in general doesn't do much unless you're stretching an area recovering from injury.
Also, hanging from a pullup bar is a good way to decompress the spine, especially if you do a lot of squatting and deadlifting. Lessens the chance of disc herniation or rupture (though you still are running a high risk if you do the movements in bad form).
Myofascial release can be done with a foam roller, or a tennis ball or pvc pipe for smaller muscles. You can do it as often as you want. It can be done on the spine too for spinal mobilization, but make sure you don't do it on your cervical or lumbar areas because there's not a lot of muscle so you put excess strain on the discs if you were to foam roll there. Otherwise, any dense area of muscle, you can do fascia release. You can become a lot more limber and flexible this way. One of the best times to do it is after you workout. You can replace your arbitrary stretching routine with it. In fact, static stretching in general doesn't do much unless you're stretching an area recovering from injury.
Also, hanging from a pullup bar is a good way to decompress the spine, especially if you do a lot of squatting and deadlifting. Lessens the chance of disc herniation or rupture (though you still are running a high risk if you do the movements in bad form).
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