Fresh Warmup Idea: Ground-Training

[Dreamliner]

Remember the up-downs they made you do during football practice ? This is a much kinder, gentler version of that. Face it: the older we get, the less enthusiasm we have for getting down on the floor and getting up again. So, why not kill two birds with one stone and undertake ground-training as a modest challenge and letting it suffice as a warmup as well ?

What I did today: basically (1) did something like ab-walkouts ... but continued forward until I gently flopped down prone ... then walked my way back to standing position (2) from prone position twisted torso and pushed myself to standing with left arm ... then switched and did the same with my left arm and (3) rolled on back then sat up into cross-legged position.

Just did these circuit-style for, oh, maybe three minutes total. I was huffing and puffing a bit and felt good to go!

For me, since I'm not lifting heavy right now, this sort of warmup fully suffices for my needs. But even if you are lifting heavy, as long as you're doing specific warmups, this might suffice as a general warmup.

And the really fun part is that you can just make stuff up!

[LeafUF]

Up downs were terrible and burpees were worse.

Your warm up seems like something you might see in a yoga class. Which probably makes sense.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

Up downs were terrible and burpees were worse.

Your warm up seems like something you might see in a yoga class. Which probably makes sense.

It is somewhat rhythmic. Perhaps not quite as smooth. The emphasis was not so much on efficiency as just acclimating myself to the down and up, something that no longer comes as second-nature to a man my age.

It was invigorating but far from exhausting. I don't get the trend towards longer and longer warmups. Dan John says "Make your warmup your workout." Much as I respect the man, I don't get that.

[Tasselhoff]

I have always believed your warm up should be fairly intense....make you sweat type thing. Now that doesn't mean it needs to be a strain on your muscles, just be intense enough to get the blood and sweat flowing. I have never understood people who do a few jumping jacks , run in place, lift 30 pounds and call it a good warm up.

Oh, and I never let the warm up go more than 15 minutes or so.

[Dreamliner]

Well, there is a trend in the fitness community to 'make your warmup your workout.' I think that's the other extreme. I really don't get it. I want a warmup that leaves me invigorated, not tired.