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Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but the warmup is the most important part of your workout. When you work out, you want to make sure you are working out effectively and safely, and that begins with Step One: the warmup.
Warmups are not just to make yourself feel good about going into a workout—though it can help with that. Warming up does a lot for your mind and body! From preventing injury, to improving range of motion, and supporting mind-muscle connection, warmups are a deal-breaker.
Warming your muscles before you start your workout helps prevent injuries like strains. Making sure your muscles are ready for the work ahead of them loosens them up and gets blood flow going so they have the oxygen they need to perform their best.
Improving the oxygenation of your muscles gets them ready to go. This allows you to improve your performance and helps you get to that next PR. Warming up also allows you to use a fuller range of motion.
With looser muscles you can work a fuller range of motion, which helps to work and build the entire muscle, and not just some of the muscle.
One of the coolest things warming up helps with is the mind-muscle connection. Being able to activate a specific muscle during a lift is important, and warming up can make all the difference.
Doing any kind of warmup is better than no warmup, but there are some that do more than others.
Dynamic warmups, like lunge and twists, arm circles, or leg swings, help to warm up your muscles while moving. This type of stretching is what allows for increased oxygenation and mobility during a lift. Static stretching during a warmup allows muscles to begin to cool down, which in turn, decreases the blood-flow. Decreased blood flow will make your lift a bit more challenging than it needs to be.
Mobility exercises are also going to improve your lift by engaging and using the muscles before you start in with the weights. With this activation and mind-muscle connection, you can focus on the muscles you are planning to work, and then are able to practice that activation before you dive in with the weight.
Now that you have some ideas on what to do with your warmup, try adding it or modifying it a bit so you can maximize your workouts. Maybe adding or changing up your dynamic workout will help you overcome your plateau!