Subject: Re: Proper Warm-up From: staley@west.net Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 23:15:14 -0700 >From: Vickie Regnart >Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 06:55:57 -0700 > >At 51, I know it is really important to warm-up before starting to >workout. My question: how much and what type of warm-up and/or >stretching? Is a light set of the exercise sufficient before your >working set? Vickie, the trick is to warm up enough to literally raise body tempertaure (which facilitates better coordination, range of motion, reaction time, and overall readiness), but not so much that it fatigues you. In general, older people seem to benefit from a more extended warm up than younger people, and I would also suggest a longer warm up for morning workouts and/or in colder environments. A rule of thumb I often use is the following: if you are performing (for example) 5 work sets, the middle to late sets should be the most difficult. If the last sets feel the best (which prompts many people to exclaim "I feel like I'm just getting warmed up," you needed more warm-up sets. Similarly, let's say you're capable of performing say 4 sets of 8 repetitions of pull-ups. I'd suggest a few sets of light lat pulldowns first, then several sets of pull-ups for 1 rep per set. How many sets? Judge it by how you feel set by set--if each successive set feels better and better up to your 7th set (for example), and then set 8 feels no better, you're warm. In other words, keep going as long as each set feels easier. If any particular set fails to feel "better," you're ready to go. This example points out the fact that it isn't necessary for your warm-up sets to have as many reps as your intended work sets--a practice which tends to cause too much fatigue. Another point: often, the more difficult aspects are not the reps themselves, but the entrance and exit from the set--for example, getting centered under the bar, stepping away from the rack, getting your stance, inhaling, etc., etc., etc. More warm-up sets with less reps per set (as opposed to the reverse) allows more opportunitues to rehearse these elements. Charles Staley Myo Dynamics (800) 519-2492 Fundamentals of Strength Training for Sport: http://www.myodynamics.com