The Ultimate Guide to Warming Up Before You Train | Elevate Fitness

A proper warm-up is about more than just moving around — it’s about physiological and neurological readiness.

Here’s what happens when you warm up properly:

• Increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to muscles
• Elevated core temperature enhances muscle elasticity and range of motion
• Better synovial fluid flow lubricates your joints and reduces friction
• Enhanced neuromuscular efficiency improves strength and power output
• Mental focus improves — you’re not just physically ready, but mentally locked in

Without warming up, your first few sets suffer, your movement is stiffer, and you’re more prone to injury, especially in the shoulders, knees, hips, and lower back.

❗ Yes — For:

• First exercise of every new muscle group, even if it’s not the first movement of your workout
• All major compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, barbell rows, etc.)
• Any movement involving multiple joints, heavier loads, or greater skill demand

Each muscle group and movement pattern deserves its own warm-up prep, especially for big lifts where technique and joint stability are critical. Your nervous system and joints must be “dialed in” specifically for the task ahead.

✅ Minimal Warm-Up — For:

• Second or third exercise for the same muscle group

Example: After flat bench press, your pecs, triceps, and shoulders are already warm. For incline dumbbell press, you may only need 1 light set to groove the new movement pattern.

Goal: Rehearse the motion, assess joint readiness, then start working sets.

• Stable exercises on machines

These require less coordination demands

Goal: Rehearse the motion, assess joint readiness, then start working sets.

• Isolation exercises (e.g., lateral raises, curls, triceps extensions, leg curls)

These typically involve:

• Lower loads
• Simpler joint mechanics
• Smaller muscle groups

Warm-up sets can still be smart — and sometimes necessary — especially if:

• You’re lifting heavier weights (e.g., heavy dumbbell curls)
• You’re using strict form with high intensity (close to failure)
• You have sensitive joints or prior injuries (like shoulders or elbows)

🔹 Recommendation:

For most isolation exercises, perform 1–2 warm-up sets at 60–80% of your working weight for 4–6 reps. This wakes up the muscles, checks your technique, and protects your joints — especially important for strong or advanced lifters.

Rule of thumb:

• New muscle group = full warm-up progression
• Same muscle group = 1 lighter set is usually enough
• Isolation = 1–2 warm-up sets

🔍 Quick tip: If you’re doing an exercise for a muscle that has been secondarily worked, for example, bicep curls after rows or pull-ups, your biceps are already pre-activated. A single light warm-up set is all you need.