Warming up -- who does it?

[Merrida]

We all know we should, we all teach it or preach it or at the very least suggest it, but do you actually DO it? And if so, what do you do?

And, (here's the real question): HOW would you explain the importance of doing it to someone else who insists they don't need it? Ignorance can only go so far...and when you're trying to educate so as not to repel, there must be ways to explain the importance of warming up that gets the point across....right?

Most people think they're warmed up already because they've been rushing around all day, they just got out of a stressful meeting and boy oh boy is their heart up there,.... or, they'll "warmup" by doing a warm up set for each exercise.

The warmup set is nice and fine and all, and IMO irrelevent, - it should be done anyway. But in terms of warming up their bodies, their muscles, getting their whole body functioning and in "exercise mode"....such as jogging, jumping jacks, eliptical, treadmill, .... something cardiovascular.

But what would you say to someone,...let's say you were teaching them, they CAME to you for help,... and you tell them to warm up for 10 minutes, and they tell you (see above examples) they are "already warmed up."

Specific examples or details of wording,...how would you approach this?

[Alex(AJ)]

i just start off with light weights then go:

e.g.,

bench bar
pressdowns with 10pds
bench 140
pressdowns with 10
pressdowns with 10

start workout.

hasn't failed me yet

[Steve]

I always wam up. I walk to the gym (5 min). Cycle for ten min. Light stretching. Light lifting - 3 or 4 sets.

Steve

[Merrida]

Yes yes,....but (read post): HOW would you explain to someone the importance of doing a cardiovascular warm up before exercising if they're convinced they don't need one because they rushed over to the gym and that was enough to feel all "warmed up" anyway...?

[miskiw]

ask the person if they are sweating after their rush to the gym... some people say that you are considered warmed up if you are just starting to have a light sweat....if they are rushing to the gym chances are they aren't going to be at all sweating...

the body needs to be at the right temperature to function efficiently... I kinda think of it like a indy car race... when they start up there is a warmup lap(s) where they get their tires up to the correct temperature so that they can maintain their high speeds... if they didn't do this warmup set ... sure they would still move forward... but they might not be able to get up to speeds that they could have with warmer tires... same with the human body.. sure you will still be able to lift but you might not have the efficiency you could have if you warmed up ... and you may just hurt your self ....

if this person(s) came to you for help and don't want to listen to your advice... well... that just sounds like a contradiction almost..

[Jaster]

Originally posted by Merrida
HOW would you explain to someone the importance of doing a cardiovascular warm up before exercising?

Take 2 rubber bands. Freeze one then stretch them both. Watch how far the frozen one got before shattering in your hands while the "Warm" one stretched far and went back into shape!
"This is your tendons warm...This is your tendons cold!"

[Julius]

HAHAHA

nice analogy Jaster!

[angel22]

I warm up by walking/running, or jumproaping sometimes, other times, by doing light aerobics, followed by light stretch. I warm up specially before doing martial arts by rotating knees, elbows, ankles, wrists etc etc...

to explain to others, I think about what Jaster says.
I don't remember explaining the importance of warm up to people before, but I think I will use that analogy if I will have chance in future.
but I think the most effective way for people to realize the importance of warm up is by getting injury. It really sucks.

[mustang GT]

I warmup with 5-10 minutes of jogging in place and shadowboxing, then I do a few light warmup sets, then lift heavy.

[Jaster]

Originally posted by angel22
to explain to others, I think about what Jaster says.
I don't remember explaining the importance of warm up to people before, but I think I will use that analogy if I will have chance in future.

Originally posted by Julius
HAHAHA
nice analogy Jaster!

I'm glad you like it! Feel free to use it!

That's what I'm here for (and to learn for you also)

[adriana]

if that person is stubborn enough, he/she will "feel" the need soon enough when, God forbid, there is an injury to deal with.

i do a bit of elliptical or treadmill then stretch before i do weights. i then stretch after weights. feels good

Jaster's show and tell sounds real good too.

good luck,

adriana

[Lil'Lifter]

I use Fudo's warm-up it is all about the % of your 1RM and you pyramid the warm-up off that here is an example using nice easy numbers.

Your 1RM (one rep max) is 100 lbs. So here is your warm-up
Set1- 40% so 40 lbs for 6 reps
Set2 60% so 60 lbs for 4 reps
Set3 80% so 80 lbs for 2 reps
Set4 100% so 100lbs for 1 rep

It should be easy so don;t change it if it is not. Remember it is a warm-up don't kill yourself. That is by far the best warm-up I have ever used. Thanks Fudo!

[skinny]

cardio for 10 mins will shuttle blood away from intestines and to working muscles. will also prepare joints for extra forces exerted during weight training by releasing additional synovial fluid for extra lubrication.

[Merrida]

Thanks all,....I'm not looking for warm up ideas (I think cardio warm up with large rhythmic movement of the biggest muscle groups for 10-15 minutes, plus doing 1-2 light warm up sets of each exercise before you do your "real sets"....my personal opinion).... but what I was asking about was what specific wording you would use to explain to someone why they should warm up, what would you say to TEACH them the importance of it (not tell them what to DO for a warm up), and specifically with regards to wording, what you'd say if they kept insisting they were "already warmed up" because they "ran around all day" and are all stressed out because their heart rate is up....

I think that ultimately it's what Adriana said, that it'll take an injury or something for a person to accept what a warm up entails and why it's not something to skip, for any reason.

Jaster's rubber band example was excellent, and proves a point too.

that's the kind of stuff I'm looking for.... if you were a teacher, you had a student, and the student didn't "get it"....what you were trying to explain about doing a warm up.... so how would you keep trying to get through to them if they balked....

Thank you all.

[Jaster]

Originally posted by Merrida
Jaster's rubber band example was excellent, and proves a point too.

Wow I am smrt Oopps!! I mean Smart!!
LOL