How to Warm Up Before Lifting: A Simple 10-Minute Routine
By Paul Wassily, The Compound Gym
Most people either skip the warm-up or do five minutes on a treadmill and call it done. Neither one gets you ready to lift. A good warm-up takes about ten minutes, and it makes the first working set feel better, not just safer.
Here is the routine we walk new members through, and why each part is there.
What a warm-up is actually for
A warm-up has three jobs. It raises your body temperature and heart rate a little. It gets the joints you are about to load moving through their full range. And it lets you rehearse the exact lift you are about to do at a weight that is easy, so the pattern is sharp by the time the weight is heavy.
That last part is the one people skip, and it is the one that matters most.
Step 1: Five minutes of easy cardio
Bike, rower, incline walk, anything easy. You should be warm and breathing a little harder, not out of breath. If you can hold a conversation, the pace is right.
Step 2: Three to four minutes of mobility
Move the joints you are about to use. Keep it simple and controlled, eight to ten reps each:
- Leg swings, front to back and side to side
- Bodyweight squats, slow, sitting as deep as is comfortable
- Hip hinges with a dowel or broomstick along your back
- Arm circles and band pull-aparts for the shoulders
- Cat-camel on hands and knees for the spine
This is not static stretching. Holding long stretches right before heavy lifting is not needed. Save longer holds for after the session or for a rest day.
Step 3: Ramp-up sets
This is where the warm-up turns into training. Take the first lift of the day and work up to your working weight in a few easy sets. For example, if your working sets are squats:
- Empty bar, 8 to 10 reps
- About half your working weight, 5 reps
- About 70 to 80 percent, 3 reps
- Then your working sets
The reps drop as the weight climbs so you do not tire yourself out before the sets that count. Heavier lifts need a few more ramp-up sets; lighter ones need fewer.
Does the warm-up change for the rest of the session?
Your first lift gets the full ramp-up. After that you are already warm, so later lifts usually need only one or two lighter sets to groove the movement. A row after a bench press, for example, needs a set or two, not a full routine.
Warming up when you train early or late
If you train at 5am or late at night, give yourself a couple of extra minutes on the cardio. Your body tends to feel stiffer first thing in the morning, and a slightly longer warm-up makes a real difference in how the first sets feel.
That flexibility is part of how The Compound is set up. Members have fob access 24 hours a day Monday through Saturday, and the room is quiet, so you can take your time warming up without anyone waiting on the rack. If you are new, our guide to your first 30 days at a private gym shows how we build this into the first month.
What it costs
Membership is $99.99 per month, month-to-month, with no long-term contract, no initiation fees and no annual fees. There is a one-time $50 key fob charge when you join. Cancellation requires 30 days written notice.
Personal training is priced separately depending on how often you train. A coach will watch your warm-up sets as closely as your working sets, because that is where movement problems show up first.
Common questions
Should I stretch before lifting?
Short, moving stretches are the better choice before lifting. Save longer, held stretches for after your session.
How long should a warm-up take?
About ten minutes for most sessions. A little longer on heavy days or very early mornings.
Is the treadmill enough on its own?
It is a good start, but it does not prepare your hips, shoulders or the lift itself. The ramp-up sets are what make the first working set feel right.
Do I need to warm up for every exercise?
The first lift needs the full ramp-up. Later lifts usually need one or two lighter sets.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, an injury, or any health concern, check with your physician before starting or changing an exercise program.
Train with room to breathe
Come see the room and try a session. We are at 20662 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364. Call (818) 742-8762 or send us a message.
