Should you warm up before lifting?
According to current evidence, a general plus specific warm-up before strength training improves acute performance and may lower your injury risk.
Why warm up at all?
In a systematic review, Fradkin, Zazryn and Smoliga (2010) examined the link between warming up and injury risk. The majority of included studies showed that a structured warm-up reduces injury risk compared to no warm-up. Physiologically, a warm-up raises muscle temperature, speeds up nerve conduction, and improves joint mobility (Bishop, 2003). For lifting specifically, the key point is that warmer muscles contract faster and develop force better.
General vs. specific
A warm-up has two phases. The general warm-up is 5 to 10 minutes of light cardio (rowing or cycling, for example) to raise your core body temperature. The specific warm-up consists of 1 to 2 light warm-up sets of the exercise you're about to do, working up in weight. In their review, McCrary, Ackermann and Halaki (2015) found that specific warm-up sets improve subsequent training performance because they prime neuromuscular coordination for the movement pattern.
| Phase | Duration | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General warm-up | 5–10 min | Rowing, cycling, jumping rope |
| Specific warm-up | 1–2 sets | 50% and 70% of your working weight |
Static stretching: proceed with caution
In their meta-analysis, Simic, Sarabon and Markovic (2013) showed that static stretching performed right before a strength effort can reduce maximal strength by an average of 5.4% when stretches are held for more than 60 seconds per muscle group. Dynamic stretching and mobility drills showed no such negative effect. That's why the American College of Sports Medicine recommends dynamic mobility work as part of the specific warm-up (ACSM, 2014).
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- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R. & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of Warming-up on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(1), 140–148. PubMed
- Bishop, D. (2003). Warm Up I: Potential Mechanisms and the Effects of Passive Warm Up on Exercise Performance. Sports Medicine, 33(6), 439–454. PubMed
- McCrary, J. M., Ackermann, B. J. & Halaki, M. (2015). A Systematic Review of the Effects of Upper Body Warm-Up on Performance and Injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(14), 935–942. PubMed
- Simic, L., Sarabon, N. & Markovic, G. (2013). Does Pre-Exercise Static Stretching Inhibit Maximal Muscular Performance? A Meta-Analytical Review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 23(2), 131–148. PubMed