Find Your Warm-Up Sweet Spot ⚖️

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Over the years, I’ve been at both ends of the warm-up spectrum.

Version 1: Gym Bro – Walks in, gives the arms a quick windmill, maybe touches a toe or two, and heads straight into a working set. Warm-up? Nah, “Never seen a lion stretch before a hunt, bro.”*

*Lion's do in fact stretch before a hunt 🤗

Version 2: Movement Snob – 35+ minutes of joint circles, banded glute activations, breathing drills, eye tracking, and spinal segmentation. All before even touching a weight. “Can’t squat until my T-spine is fully expressive and my ankles are emotionally available.”

I've swung from one end to the other.

And honestly? Both sides make some sense depending on where you're at.

If you’re young, pain-free, and lifting regularly, you probably can get away with just a few ramp-up sets. Your tissues are primed, and your nervous system is ready to party. Easy.

But if you’ve been banged up, spent time on the injury shelf, or just haven’t moved much that day – suddenly 30 minutes of prep work doesn’t seem so crazy. You get cautious. You feel vulnerable. You want to be strong and safe.

So what's the sweet spot?

For most people, I've found that a simple 3–4 exercise warm-up works best. Just enough to:

• Escape the desk-bound shape your body’s been stuck in,

• Wake up the smaller muscles that help keep things dial in,

• And practice the movement pattern you’re about to load.

  
  

🔄 Warm‑Up Strategy: MAP

M – Mobility - loosen stiff joints through a full range of motion.

A – Activation - wake target muscle groups ready for the main event.

P – Practice - Groove motor control AKA Do the thing you about to do.

Here’s what that might look like for a Deadlift (Strength Focused) Session:

MOBILITY

– Lunge to hamstring pry stretch - 60-seconds each side.

– Thoracic extensions over a foam roller; again 60-seconds will do.

ACTIVATION

– Single leg glute bridge - To get those hamstrings & glutes talking; keeping midsection tight to avoid just loading through your back. 10-15 reps each side should do.

PRACTICE

– Grab an empty bar and do a slow set of Romanian Deadlifts with focus around feeling hamstrings and keep midsection locked in. Do a couple of sets of 6-10 adding load as you go.

All done in 10-minutes or less.

Nothing fancy. Just enough to feel ready, not fragile.

Could you do more? Yes of course and if thats your jam; rock on. You could do less too but for me and most of my clients this is a good sweet spot.

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P.S. If you enjoyed this week's Thursday Three, please share it with a friend.

Thanks,

Jamie