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Warming up the muscles you are about to use is very important, more than you would think. It helps prevent injuries to the body part you are working out. But even more important you get rid of the waste that has been built up in your muscles and new fresh blood saturated in oxygen is now coming in.
Also, probably the most important part, you can train more intensely after you warm up. The muscles can contract harder and therefore you can get a better workout.
The most common and probably most effective way to warm up is by doing the same exercise with light weight and a lot of reps, around 12. Stretching should be a part of your warm up, stretch each muscle you are about to use for at least 8 seconds.
Catanzaro: Bigger muscles? Perhaps. But stronger? I say no way! In my stretching article for T-mag, I mentioned two methods of aggressive stretching advocated by John Parrillo and Torbjorn Akerfeldt where the object is to expand the fascial compartment thus allowing greater room for growth. The classic bird study you've probably heard about also proves that stretching may have some merit for muscle growth.
Now, as far as strength is concerned, that’s a whole 'nother story! Sure, dynamic stretching may increase strength temporarily, but static stretching will definitely weaken muscle. The proposed theories of force decrement with stretching (which breaks down to roughly 60% neural and 40% muscular/contractile) include decreased motor neuron excitability, increased tendon slack, decreased stiffness, and altered actin-myosin position.
As the length of the muscle increases, stiffness decreases. As stiffness decreases, force decreases, which means…drum roll please…strength decreases!
The current suggestion is to do static stretch before bed, dynamic stretching pre-WO and I would recommend foam rolling post-WO.
The current suggestion is to do static stretch before bed, dynamic stretching pre-WO and I would recommend foam rolling post-WO.
Agreed...also, one-two light weight warm-ups like that suggested in the article does nothing for motor unit preparedness to heavy weights. Warm-up, absoultely...but warm up the right way.
Agreed...also, one-two light weight warm-ups like that suggested in the article does nothing for motor unit preparedness to heavy weights. Warm-up, absoultely...but warm up the right way.
Ok, I didn't address the CNS warm-up. From Tony G, I modifed my warm-up:
1x5x60%
1x3x75%
1x3x90%
And that has done well for getting my CNS and joints ready for the heavy lift without fatiguing me.
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