Warm Up to Power Up: Enhancing Your Strength & Flexibility with Ideal Preparation

In episode 318 of "The Sound of Movement - The Unity Gym Podcast," hosts Rad and Yani Burmeister are joined by Nilesh from ADPT Physio to share our secrets for how we created the ultimate warm up routines for our tribe.

Have you ever thought about the warmup part of your workout routine? It's not the main event, but it holds the key to getting the most from your fitness session. There's a balance to be found, and going too far on either side of it - either underdoing or overdoing your warmup - can set you back in your fitness journey.

Why a Warmup Matters

A warmup is not just a casual preamble to your workout. It's an essential part of preparing your body for the more intense exertion to follow. But remember, the warmup is not the workout. If your warmup is too strenuous, it can hamper your actual workout performance and end up being a waste of time.

The Art of Warmup: Getting It Right

In our early days at Unity Gym, our warmup ran for 20 minutes. It was essentially the 20-Minute Stretching Routine, (which we now sell as a standalone product).While this routine did yield some results, we realized that we were warming up for too long.

Our goal is to equip you with a warmup routine that is efficient, specific, and targeted. Here's what a well-rounded warmup looks like:

1. 60 seconds of high-intensity cardio: This ramps up your blood flow, getting your body warm and limber, and prepping your joints and nervous system for the workout ahead.
2. Mobility drills: This isn't stretching. You'll want your joints to go through their full range of motion under load, not become too loose for the workout. So these drills should be specific to what you're about to do.
3. Positioning Drills: These drills aim to activate the muscles and areas of the body that need to be fired up. Depending on your workout, these drills can be adapted and varied.

The Danger of Misunderstanding Warmup

A common mistake we've observed is a lack of structured warmups, particularly in team sports. This often leads to injuries, particularly strained hamstrings, that could have been prevented with proper warmup.

In conclusion, your warmup needs to be more than an afterthought. Get it right, and you'll see the benefits not just in your workouts, but in your overall physical condition and performance. 

Don't undervalue it, and remember: the warmup isn't the workout. It's the preparation for the workout.
For a deeper understanding of effective warm up strategies from some of Australia’s leading strength and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists, listen to the full podcast episode here.