After releasing the 21-Day Jump Start Program, I received the following question:

“What should I do about warming up and stretching?”

I interpreted this question to include:

• How should you warm up before a workout?
• When should you stretch?
• How should you stretch?
• What other forms of warming up are available?

These are all great questions. I don’t often prescribe specific warmups or stretching routines simply because I prefer to make those routines specific to each individual. General recommendations don’t take into account the specific issues or limitations you may have.

When coaching, I’ll work with people to address issues or limitations prior to their workout. For instance, if someone is squatting and they have trouble reaching depth, we’ll focus on specific warmups and stretches that will loosen up the hips, knees, hamstrings, etc. in order to perform the movement correctly.

With that said, there is some new research that can guide us in our pre- and post-workout routines. I can also recommend some general movements and cues that will help you prepare for each workout and just generally improve your mobility and flexibility.

For starters, there’s been a debate about whether or not static stretching (isolating a specific muscle and holding it in a stretch for an extended period of time) is detrimental to performance.

Recent research suggests “normal” stretching and fears about performance decline are overblown. Stretching the muscle for short periods of time, and doing it at a moderate intensity, shouldn’t negatively impact your fitness routine. Short intensity stretching in a way that avoids any type of pain is recommended.

Active stretching seems to be the more popular mode of warming up while static stretching is seen more as being reserved for after a workout. I’d recommend a combination of both before and after your workout.

Application and Takeaways:

Based on this information, if I was your coach I’d recommend some combination of an active warmup and static stretching as needed. If you’d like to utilize static stretching, keep it within the following parameters:

• Stretch each muscle for 5-10 seconds.
• Steer clear of any type of pain.
• Isolate the specific muscle you’re stretching.

You need to take a different mentality into your warmup and stretching routine. This isn’t about causing muscle damage. It’s entirely different than lifting weights or completing an intense cardio workout. The warmup is all about priming you to perform at your best.

Sometimes people stretch too deep. They stretch to the point of it being painful when all you need to do is feel the muscle being lengthened.

You can make progress over time with stretching. You can improve your mobility and flexibility, but you can’t do it in one sitting.

A great example is touching your toes. If you can’t touch your toes, start with getting to your knees. Do that for a while. Over time that will become more comfortable, and you can reach just below the knees.

Later you’ll reach your mid-shin. Then your ankles. Then the top of your feet. Then, finally, your toes.

This whole process could take six months or more, but this is the correct way to work on flexibility. If you put yourself in painful positions, you’re most likely going to end up injuring yourself in the warmup, or you’ll stretch your muscles, ligaments, and joints to the point of exhaustion and you’ll hurt yourself in the actual workout.

Take a modest, conservative approach to stretching.

Regarding an active warmup, this is where I’d start. Purchasing a set of resistance bands, hip circles, and foam roller can go a long way with loosening up your muscles and joints to perform optimally in your workout.

I recommend starting with these tools to warm up the muscles involved in the workout of the day. Get your blood flowing and get a light sweat going. Perform some of the movements you’ll participate in.

Squats are again a great example. If you have squats coming up in your workout, put a hip circle around your knees a do a few sets of air squats. Focus on warming up your hips, knees, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

Below, I’ve provided a few video examples of warmups I do before my upper-body and lower-body workouts. Feel free to use these, but also try and implement some of what you specifically need. I’ve created these warmup routines because of some limitations I have, or to prevent specific injuries I’ve suffered in the past. You should do the same when creating your own warmup.

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If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact me. I’d be happy to help.

And if you’re interested in improving your fitness and/or nutrition, check out my coaching page. If what you see interests you, fill out the coaching application form and we can talk about next steps.

Thanks for reading!

CGF