Favorite Ways To Warm-Up

So, what are your guys favorite ways to warm-up for the big 3. Not in warm-up sets, but in stretching and stuff.

I’m asking 'cause I kinda want to have a go-to warm up for the big 3, right now I’m doing the Agile 8 and some (lacrosse ball)foamrolling, but especially for squats that doesn’t seem like enough 'cause my hips are still a little tight. Any tips and tricks?

I only do warm up sets. Zero stretching and stuff.

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I do a little stretching in the sauna before I go lift. Only long enough to start to sweat. Don’t want to be in there very long at all

Does the sauna help mobility? Or do you just like the sauna? Haha

I did Agile 8 for a while and found it actually hurt my hips - but I was decently mobile to begin with. Now, I just so the lazy lifter warmup:

I also do band facepulls and shoulder dislocates before squatting and benching. If my pecs are tight, I’ll lacrosse ball them before squatting too.

All up, takes maybe five minutes.

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I wasn’t a fan of agile 8, but that lazy lifter looks perfect! I basically do it between my warm up squat and Deadlift sets anyway with a few bodyweight Lunges mixed in.

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Looks simple and effective! Will try tomorrow before squats

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Agile 8

Tony DeFranco’s a smart guy. However, I am not a fan of this method.

One of the reasons is that stretching is shown to dampen Strength and Power Movements. You produce less force because the stretch reflex response is dampened.

Stretch Reflex

The stretch reflex provide a “Rubber Band” effect for the Squat and other movements. When the connective tissue is stretched with a slight bounce out of the hole, it sling shot you up. You can generate up to 18% more power (force).

The Law of Specificity

The most effective stretching movement for the hip for the Squat is Squat. That is true for any exercise.

A great example of that is…

Olympic Lifters

Olympic Lifters are rated as either the second or third most flexible group of athletes. That primarily due to preforming full range/full stretched movements; Full Squats, Snatches with the weight locked out behind them dramatically stretching their shoulders, etc.

Sauna Stretch

Vincepac1500’s method makes some sense.

  1. Warming up the muscle means “Heating” them up. Thus, the sauna, a warm shower, etc can be used as a passive warm up.

  2. Warming up connective tissue. Connective tissue is similar to string cheese.

When cold it is stiff. When warmed up it is pliable. You can bend and twist easily.

Face Pulls and Shoulder Dislocates

Marko’s recommendation is a good one if…

  1. Squat: You have shoulder flexibility in holding the bar with the Squat.

  2. Bench Press: Research shows that Antagonist Muscles preform a “Braking Action” for Agonist Exercises.

Agonist Muscles: These are the working muscle in the Bench Press: Pecs, Anterior Shoulders, and Triceps.

Antagonist Muscles: These are the Posterior Muscle in the Bench Press: Lats, Rhomboids, etc.

Preforming an Antagonist Exercise and/or Stretching Antagonist Muscles prior to an Agonist Muscle Group increases force production (Strength and Power).

It relaxes the “Braking Mechanism” of the Antagonist Muscle allowing you to drive up with more force; pushing more weight with more power.

Warm Ups

The objective of a Warm Up is to prepare you muscle for you top set.

You want to minimize the amount of energy you expend; saving it all for you top set.

This means you need to preform the minimal amount of warm ups. Doing so, ensure you have more strength, power and energy for your top set.

With that said, The Agile 8 might work for you. Experiment with it and see how it works for you.

Kenny Croxdale

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Squat/Deadlift - Lunges, Side lunges, Pliets, band good mornings all per feel

Bench - Band pullaparts, band dislocates.

I like it. I started doing it when my shoulders were killing me on bench been doing it every since. Like said above everything warm moves better. Shop it came hurt unless your in there for an 30 minutes sweating to death before you workout

I was going to say the same thing but I didn’t feel like arguing with the 5/3/1 crew. Dynamic stretching first (such as squatting with an empty bar) and static stretching after training, or at some point later.

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Lazy lifter on lower and then on upper doing the opposite movement first for reps. So Bench with a load of rows before, or press with chins before. I find the opposite lift works better at warming everything up over anything else like facepulls.

Body Tempuring and RPR.

I spend 10 minutes on body tempuring, 10 on RPR and i’m good to go. I don’t have to do body tempuring the day of training but I normally do it just because it’s easier for me.

For lower body days, I use the slingshot hip circle which opens up my hips and gets my glutes activated and burning like a mf, and ill do some ROM stretches that I got off this app called ROMWOD which is good stretching (not always before working out though)

I also use a lot of band pullaparts and shoulder dislocations for upper body

I squeeze my ass and hamstrings on the hill up to the gym, and then do lighter sets with the bar. I’ll do pull aparts or dislocated in between sets. That’s about it. I used to warm up for ever before I would lift, but I stayed weak af

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