Every one of our workouts begin with a warm up. The warm up usually lasts 8-10 minutes depending on the workout of the day and how the class is feeling (ie the 5am Monday crew usually needs an additional 5 minutes just to open there eyes most weeks) The warm ups are made up of various dynamic movements that gently engage muscles and prepare our athletes for the high demands of the workout to come.
Most of our warm-ups are made up of 2 parts: General and Specific
The General Warm-up comes first. The goal here is simply to elevate body temperature and heart rate. In other words, wake the body up. We usually start with an easy jog or row, followed by a few reps of bodyweight exercises like Jumping Jacks or Lunges.
The second part is the Specific warm up. This is where we perform exercises that target similar muscle groups or even mimic the same exercises the athletes will be performing in that day’s workout. This is where we might also incorporate empty barbell or resistance bands to provide the athlete with mechanical feedback and improve movement patterns.
After the workout is where we suggest some light static stretching to increase flexibility, speed up recovery and properly cool down the body before heading out the door.
The ultimate goal of any warm-up is to prepare you for the workout ahead, plain and simple. It may seem like a small piece of the puzzle but without it you can not perform at your best.
-Matthew Kirkendall, Head Coach/Owner
