The Work Before The Work

Let’s talk about something we see so many people slack on, but it’s a key part not only in your performance, but your safety in the gym: THE WARM-UP! 

‍

The warm-up gets your joints, muscles, and nervous system ready to do hard things safely. It's where you build range of motion, address the spots that nag you, and prime your body to actually perform under load. Skip it and you're asking your cold tissues to do a job they're not ready for, which is how small issues turn into chronic ones. Do it well and you move better, lift better, and stay in the game longer.

‍

I've asked people to warm up before grabbing a barbell and heard things like "I walked before I got here." No bueno! Walking, riding a bike to the gym or just already feeling "warm" doesn't address mobility. And a huge part of our warm-up is mobility. It isn't sexy, but the people who move the best, lift the most, and stay in the game the longest prioritize it. You can always spot the former college athletes (shout out Dan and Danny) in our gym. They are the ones who come in, get on a bike and do their mobility with intention. 

‍

We write a general mobility series each day and it’s the bare minimum of what you need to do. If we've pointed out an exercise specific to you, (lat mobility exercises are a big one, so are knees), it's on you to add it in. If a spot feels particularly tight, add a few more reps.

‍

A few things worth noting:

The warm-up is not for time, so don't rush it. Think about what you're doing, how your body is positioned and spend a few seconds in the end ranges. Over time, you should feel those harder movements getting better.

‍

The fine points matter. Intent is the difference between mobility work that changes something and mobility work that's just half-assed stretching.

‍

If you're late, do not skip it - even on conditioning workouts. Walking straight into the workout cold is the worst thing you can do. It’s better to start the workout a few minutes behind everyone else than to start it with a body that isn't ready.

‍

We're not the police. But the warm-up is non-negotiable, and the people who treat it like an important part of the workout are the ones who keep showing up year after year with less pain, more range of motion, and better performance.

‍

Do the work before the work.