Increase strength, power and performance with this scientifically backed pre-workout warm-up – Muscle and Fitness

While the simple warm-up is often the most neglected part of any workout, many of us take more care as the colder temperatures increase. But when it comes to preparing our bodies for the best possible training session, what type of warm-up works best? Science has the answer.

Many people slide right past the warm-up phase of exercise, while others limber up with a little stretching, but elite athletes are often put through lighter warm-up sets before performing the same task at full intensity, but which method works best? A new systematic review from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found that preparing the body for gains is more complex than simply increasing muscle temperature, but it’s an important start. “The study found that for every 1°C increase in muscle temperature, performance improved by approximately 3.5%.” explains the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Cody Wilson, out. “With the greatest benefits seen in velocity-dependent muscle properties such as speed and strength, but not in maximal strength.”

Getting warm in any way can be a good start, but there’s more to it than that. Apparently, the type of warm-up style used to increase the heat is also paramount to your PRs. To find out which warm-up works best, scientists compiled the data on passive warm-ups, in which the body is heated by external sources such as a shower or heating pads to add warmth without movement. They also looked at active warm-ups, which involved gentle activities such as ten minutes on a stationary bike, or completing a less strenuous version of the main training session.

What’s the best way to warm up before exercise?

Many previous studies have taken a comprehensive approach to recording the results of active warm-up methods, often mixing general cardio with exercise-specific starts, but the experts who worked on this new study believe that choosing a warm-up that matches the actual exercise is probably better than cycling for ten minutes, because you can ultimately warm up different muscle groups. According to science, it’s all about getting the most out of ‘post-activation potentiation’.

“Although both active and passive warm-ups result in better speed and strength, much research shows that the warm-up exercises should be similar to the exercise you will be doing,” says fellow study author JP Nunes. The reason why this method works best seems to be that it perfectly prepares the body and mind for the task ahead. “If you lift weights and start the exercise with lighter weights—because the exercise actually helps us activate our muscles more and use more efficient movement patterns—the nervous system can learn on the fly,” Nunes explains.

So there you have it: sticking to the same exercises during your warm-ups and work sets is the best advice, according to the latest findings. “Every warm-up is important, whether that’s simply walking to the gym or cycling for ten minutes before exercising. But there is evidence that warm-ups that are unrelated to the exercise being performed do not have as great an effect on performance as simply ‘practicing’ the performance,” concludes Dr. Wilson.