Blog

Simple & Effective Warm-Up for Weightlifting

When working with groups of athletes in the weight room, it is important to get them organized and warmed up as efficiently as possible because time is always limited. A simple, quick and effective warm-up that we use with all of our athletes is one you may want to try. This warm-up is easy to implement with limited space and time while helping address the most common issues we see on a frequent basis which are restricted ankle, hip and thoracic spine mobility. It includes the following 4 movements done for 5 reps on each side:

1. World’s Greatest Stretch

2. Deep Split Squat

3. Cossack Squat

4. Deep Squat Rotations

It is not uncommon for athletes new to this warm-up to struggle with the positions involved in each exercise. If that is the case, just have the athlete work through the range of motion they are comfortable with and build from there. As this warm-up is completed each day before training, the quality of the positions and movements will steadily improve. More importantly, athletes will also begin to show improved positioning in their lifts as mastery of the warm-up exercises is developed.

Following the completion of this general warm-up sequence, we typically prescribe more specific warm-up work involving short barbell complexes. Collectively, our warm-up routine can be completed in approximately 5-8 minutes and is quite effective for efficiently preparing athletes to move well in any type of strength training session.

CJ Del Balso, MS, CSCS, RSCC USAW International Coach

At Conqueror Weightlifting, we offer expert coaching in Olympic weightlifting, strength training fundamentals and sports performance training. Use the following link to get started with Nebraska’s strongest team.