Prep for Movement, Don’t Warm Up
Don’t like about it as getting warm. Think about it as getting prepared.
I don’t like the term warm up. It implies that the purpose is to get warm. I much prefer the term movement prep, a phrase that I think is pretty common now, but I only picked up recently in my classes with Beth Lewis.
You may get physically warm or even sweaty during a warm up, but that’s not exactly the point. The point is to get prepared for the exercises and workout you are about to do. So, if you were about to swing some kettlebells for instance, a good warm up is a handful of exercises or moves that engage your core, your hip hinge, and target mobility. Not running for 10 minutes on the treadmill.
It’s just another reason why I think most people don’t stick to their workouts long term. They don’t have a good movement prep, and therefore they either skip it, or aren’t properly prepared to workout. And over the long run being unprepared leads to shitty workouts and pain. Movement prep, getting your body and mind primed correctly, is essential to the long term success of any workout program.
Warming up can be anything
A warm up doesn't have to be a formal part of your workout
I know how important a good warm up is, but the problem is that warming up invokes a feeling of boredom, and, when I’m crunched for time, and just trying to squeeze in a workout between everything else going on in my day, I end up skipping it, and jumping right into my workout.
I can get away with it for a few days, but I ultimately pay the price in the form of decreased range of motion and sometimes pain from a gunked up fascia. But, I still skip it more than I should. I have however found work around that enables me to get some chores done, and get my body warm for a workout.
If you’re working out at home, a warm up can be anything. Sweep out the garage for 5 minutes. Go walk around and water the plants. Organize that room, closet, or patio space you’ve been ignoring. Vacuum the house. Do a big load of dishes. I don’t know if many prominent fitness people would agree with me or not, but I think that if the choice is nothing, or 10 - 20 minutes of house chores, that’s better than nothing.
A few recent examples:
Swept and swifered the mat in my garage. Plus a little more. Total time: 12 minutes.
Mowed and edged the lawn. Total time: 30 - 40 minutes.
Dug three holes to plant a shrub, a rose bush, and a plant. Total time: 20 - 30 minutes.
Not conventional, but better than nothing.