Why and how do warm up in bodybuilding?

Warming up in bodybuilding or any other sport is essential. Generally sloppy by practitioners, it is nevertheless the most important step of your sports session. In addition to limiting injuries, warming up offers many benefits. It is often given little importance and generally, we exercise random movements thinking that they are doing the trick! However, the warm-up is the basis of your training and it is he who determines the course of your bodybuilding session. So why and how do warm-ups before a bodybuilding session?

Why warm-up in bodybuilding?

From a general point of view, warming up helps prepare your body for physical exertion. This has 3 positive consequences:

Improve physical performance;

Limit injuries;

Concentrate on your physical effort, do not dissipate.

Improve your physical performance

As its name suggests, warming up increases your body temperature to prepare the body for physical exertion. Adapting your heart rate, your breathing, and warming up your muscles are the beneficial consequences of a warm-up practiced according to the rules of the art.

Warm-up in bodybuilding to limit injuries

In bodybuilding, errors in postures and practices are common and it is not uncommon to get injured. Even if it is superficial, it considerably slows down the progression since rest is often necessary.

When you warm up, synovial fluid is secreted by your joints, providing them with lubrication. This process makes them more flexible and limits friction. However, the synovial fluid spreads gradually, which is why starting with a heavy load is not advisable.

why and how do warm up in bodybuilding?

Focus on your physical effort

In physical preparation, the mind occupies an important place. The warm-up is a transition between rest and effort. It is a preparation stage that allows you to visualize your objectives and gradually enter a phase of physical training.

If you are more focused on your goals and the exercises to follow, your physical performance will be more effective.

How do warm up in bodybuilding?

First of all, it depends on the duration of your session but for an effective warm-up, count between 15 and 30 minutes of preparation. There are several ways to warm up, the important thing is above all to gently work each of the joints.

Without accessories, for example, can make rotary movements or from left to right. Stretching, pulling, and pushing exercises, but also jumping and running at a moderate pace. Above all, never force and increase the effort gradually.

Warm-up with fitness elastics

Some accessories make it possible to diversify the warm-up exercises by exercising pushes and pulls. Rubber bands are particularly popular for this because they are simple to use. Practical, they attach to various supports indoors (beam, stairs, table, bed, etc.) and outdoors (tree, fence, table, etc.).

Warm-up in bodybuilding

These rubber bands can also be used for muscle strengthening exercises for the arms, glutes, legs, thighs, and back. The different colors and widths indicate the difference in resistance, so you can go at your own pace. For a successful warm-up, fitness elastics are essential accessories!

The jump rope, for an optimal warm-up

Jumping rope is a great way to build muscle and improve your cardio. Indeed, it is used for weight loss, to gain tone and muscle mass. The jump rope also allows you to warm up the whole body to start in the best conditions.

It is practiced in many sports such as boxing, bodybuilding, and fitness. Contrary to what one might think, the jumping rope does not only work the legs. Of course, the calves and thighs are particularly stressed, but the abdominal belt also works by contracting with each jump, ideal for losing the belly quickly.

10 minutes are enough to start the bodybuilding session, however, it is more effective to combine different exercises to work all the joints with precision.

Small and lightweight, this skipping rope is convenient to take anywhere. The memory foam handles are non-slip and ergonomic. In addition, its steel wire cable is extremely resistant. The Bruker jump rope measures 2.8 meters but is fully adjustable to fit all sizes.

Our practical tips for warming up in bodybuilding

The colder it is, the more complete and thorough the warm-up must be;

You have to take into account the time at which you start a session: in the morning the body is colder and more rigid, and a longer warm-up is therefore necessary. At the end of the day after work, the muscles are warmer and more prepared, but beware, this is no reason to skip the warm-up!

Drinking small sips of water regularly helps prevent cramps, tendonitis, contractures, and hypothermia.

Do not remove your clothes after warming up, as this will cause your body temperature to drop. It is precisely in this situation that injuries occur.

Do not leave too much rest between each warm-up exercise, as this interrupts the process of gradually increasing body temperature.