What are They and are They Essential Before Training? – Written by Steve Nance
Warm Up
A Warm Up [WU] by definition is a 5–10-minute preparator routine designed to physically and mentally prepare the body for more intense exercise activities that follow. Depending on what the following activities are, warm up exercises should vary quite a bit (in the weights room, this depends on the type of weights that follow the warm up exercises).
STRENGTH and POWER: it is more about what to avoid here. You should avoid doing long static stretches and endurance type activities (both cardio and muscular endurance) as these could reduce power output by up to 30%, with some studies suggest power loss can be as much as 40%. You should do dynamic and ballistic type movements and dynamic mobility exercises (commonly called primers) to instigate maximum strength and power output.
ENDURANCE WEIGHTS: it is not as important to be as dynamic, but it is still essential to work on mobility and movement through the warm up exercises.
HYPERTROPHY: Similar to Endurance Weights – it is not as important to be dynamic, especially if the session is based on extra time under eccentric tension. However, mobility is still very important when doing warm up exercises.
Primers
Primers are very important before any lifting session, and you still need several warm up sets before primers, especially if it is a strength /power session. They can be done in circuits or stations and should only be 5-6 exercises as more can be too extensive. They create an actual starting point for the session and a point where everyone switches on. See below for some examples of common primers (remember these are only examples and you need to select some of these not all of them):
-Leg swings for both hamstrings and adductors
-Lying hamstring flicks
-Standing quad catches
-Dynamic calf
-Inchworms
-Inchworms with clap push ups
-Jump squats
-Split jump squats
-Uneven jump squats
-Various plyo push ups
-Med ball slams
-Lateral body weight jumps
-Med ball thrusters against wall
-Dynamic thread the needle
-Sumo squat to external rotation
-Walking lunge into jump lunge
-Handshakes
-Leg drive sequences against wall
-Power step up with leg drive
-Upper body rotation with hips fixed
-Upper body rotation with dynamic hips
-Walking lunge with dynamic rotation
-Elephant trunks
-Dynamic hurdle walks/runs with both internal and external rotation
-Ladders
-A-skips
-Rocking
-Rocking into V sit
Warm up exercises for a conditioning session are completely different and depends on what activity follows. S&C Coaches often do not pay enough credence to the principle of Variety in W.U’s. At Fulham, the players trained and played for 46 weeks (this was often more if they played internationals and the end of the season). Just imagine if I did the same WU every session for nearly a whole year, 5-6 sessions per week. The players and I would have been totally bored, and not stimulated, and they would have been handed over to the coach in a less than satisfactory state. Variety is critical in W.U’s. The only exception to this is on game day where the WU should be rehearsed and done consistently to create familiarity and positivity before the match.
If speed and power are a part of the session, then they should be a part of the WU. If they have to run at maximum speed in the session, they should be running at or near maximum speed in the WU. Historically this wasn’t always the case, and I was as guilty as anyone. Early in the Broncos days we made players do long static stretches even before speed/ power sessions because we thought that it was the best way to prepare for the session.
When I first started at the Wallabies, the Queensland contingent wanted a 40-minute slow static flexibility session before all training but also before games. I explained to them the science behind a shorter WU (10-15 minutes) and the need for power/speed movements especially before games. They soon came on board, but it took a while to change their beliefs as it was what they were used to.
If the session involves contact, then you must bring modified and gradual contact in the WU. Remember the role of the WU is to prepare them for what is coming next. If the session involves change of direction and/or medium to high tempo running, then the WU should address these. Obviously mobility exercises are essential for all conditioning WU’s.
So how long do the benefits of the actual warm up last? Science tells us the actual physical benefits begin to lose their effect at about the 10–12-minute mark. That is why it is ludicrous to warm up a team and then take them back into the sheds 20 minutes before kickoff. Recently I went to a 5th Division rugby match in the south of France. About an hour before kickoff, the coach brought them out and they did a 30-minute WU of both skills and running. He then took them back into the shed for approximately 25 minutes before the kickoff. Total waste of time.
What about the reserves on the bench during a game? My protocol was that the reserves warmed up at about the 15-minute mark in the first half only for about 5 minutes. Then again at the 35-minute mark, just before half time (in case players were going to be replaced at half time). Reserves then did a short WU after half time then it was on a as needed basis.
Warm Down
Warm Downs are critical in high energy sports. It is only common sense that you slowly get them up in the WU and then slowly bring them down in the WD. It also adheres to the principle of active recovery. The WD doesn’t have to be too long. It is a great time to rehydrate and re-fuel. The All-Blacks protocol varied by position but was usually only between 8-12 minutes. Static stretching and off feet sub max cardio are ideal here.
Find out more here https://fiteducation.edu.au/certificate-iii-and-iv-in-fitness-2/
Written by Steve Nance