What you are missing in your warm-up

     Warm-ups are a significant aspect of a workout. The goal of every warm-up is to serve as a mental and physical preparation for training. Warm-ups typically fall into two categories: Active and passive. Active warmups are activities that actively prep your body for training while passive warmups are activities that are more stationary. An example of a passive warm up is using the seat warmers in the car before heading to the gym. Another more practical way to passively warm up the body is taking a hot shower then stretching before bed (This is a very specific method and ideally you would not warm up this way before the gym). 

    Active warmups are broken down into temperature-related effects and non-temperature related effects. Temperature-related effects include muscle temperature, core temperature, neural related functions (as you become more consistent with working out at the same time then your body and mind adapt and are ready for training). Non-temperature increases blood flow to the active muscles, elevate oxygen consumption and post activation potentiation. From warming up the body enables the body to increase, rate of force development, faster muscle contractions, reaction time, improvement in strength and power. All of these things are good things.

    A proper warm up is divided into two aspects: general and specific. General warm up is at least 5 min of slow aerobic activity such as walking, elliptical, biking. Something to increase heart rate, blood flow and muscle temperature. Following a general warm up is light stretching that replicate the training at hand. For example, if squats are on the table for training, then after biking for 5 min the general stretching of the quads and hamstrings would be beneficial. 

    After a general warm up then a more specific warm up takes place. If we use our squatting example, then light repetitions of squat with increasing weight is an example until the working weight is reached. This entire process should take 10-20 minutes. After properly warming up it is recommended to start the workout within 15 min otherwise the effects of the warmup are lost.

    This is the part of the warmup that you are missing (took us four paragraphs to get there, but I am an author by trade). Warmups can take a more strategic planning towards training. Instead of using the same warm up regardless of training change it up to incorporate future movements or movements that can enable a better training in the future. For example, if training is centered around the back squat, then front squat movements can be used as a warmup for the back squat. Front squat bar positioning can be a little awkward to master, so to become more skilled in that lift then practice it. This would enable you to aid in your overall development until your movements are proficient enough to add a working weight. This style of incorporating short- and long-term planning also aids in switching up your squatting profile to change fitness routines. Heavy back squatting over time can be mentally draining and place a heavy physical toll on the body. Back squatting for a micro cycle then switching to a front squat keeps your mind fresh for when you cycle back to the back squat.