Warmups Are Not Optional

A proper warmup has two layers. The first is general, five minutes of light cardio to raise your core temperature and get blood flow to working tissues. The second is specific, ramp-up sets of the lift you are about to perform, starting at the empty bar and progressing in three or four jumps to your working weight.

This matters because cold tissue is brittle tissue. Tendons, ligaments, and the lining of your joints all behave better when warm. The five percent gain you give up by skipping the warmup compounds into the five-year injury that ends your training run.

What does not belong in a warmup is long static stretching. Holding a stretch for thirty seconds before lifting has been shown in multiple studies to reduce immediate strength output. Save passive stretching for after training or for separate mobility sessions. Before lifts, move dynamically.