I guess we hear this all the time – “you gotta warm up!” And most of the time we do… well almost kinda do something that looks like it gets us ready for our training. But why are they so important?

Warm-ups are SO important because they allow you to maximise your training/performance and reduce injury risk during your time in the gym. 

A really simple and easy way to make sure you structure a good warm-up prior to training is to follow the RAMP template:

• Raise – Raise body temperature, heart and breathing rates, and increase blood flow to working muscles, we do this via 3-5 mins of steady state cardio, walking, cycling, skipping etc.
• Activate – Activate the main muscle groups or areas we are going to use in today’s session, some lighter weight via the same movements we are about to do.
• Mobilise – Take your body through the full range of motion you are going to use in the upcoming session. If we are going to squat then do some air squats or even some empty bar backs squats to prep the body.
• Potentiate – All this means is that you try and mirror the intensity you are about to undertake for a few seconds prior to doing it for the first time in. Some bike sprints, Kettlebell Swings etc.

Warm-ups also provide a great opportunity to spend time on weak areas, technical practice (improving your movement) and injury pre/rehab on those troublesome spots. Don’t think about it as a “warm-up” think about it as added training volume that will keep you training for years to come!