How to Warm Up Before Lifting: The Right Way to Prepare for Strength Training

By Zerxus Team  |  Recovery

Most people either skip warm-ups entirely or waste 20 minutes on the treadmill before touching a weight. Neither approach is optimal. A proper warm-up takes 8–12 minutes, directly prepares the movements you’re about to train, and can meaningfully improve performance and reduce injury risk.

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Why Warming Up Matters

A proper warm-up produces several physiological changes that directly improve your training:

• Increased core temperature: Muscle tissue contracts more efficiently at higher temperatures. Strength output can improve 3–5% from warm-up alone.
• Increased joint lubrication: Synovial fluid in joints becomes less viscous with movement, reducing friction and stiffness.
• Neural activation: Warm-up sets “wake up” the motor pathways for the movements you’re about to train, improving movement quality.
• Reduced injury risk: Cold, stiff muscles and connective tissue are more prone to strain under load.

The Three-Phase Warm-Up Framework

Phase 1: General Warm-Up (3–5 minutes)

Raise your heart rate and core temperature with light, general movement. This doesn’t have to be cardio equipment — jumping jacks, rowing machine at easy effort, or simply brisk walking will do. The goal is to feel warm and lightly sweaty, not tired.

Phase 2: Mobility and Movement Prep (3–5 minutes)

Address any mobility restrictions relevant to the day’s training. If you’re squatting, work hip and ankle mobility. If pressing, open up thoracic spine and shoulders. Keep it dynamic — movement through range of motion — not static stretching (save that for after training).

Useful exercises:

• Hip 90/90s or hip circles — for squat and hinge days
• Thoracic rotations — for pressing and pulling days
• Band pull-aparts — for upper body days
• Ankle circles and calf raises — for squat days
• Leg swings (forward and lateral) — for lower body days

Phase 3: Exercise-Specific Warm-Up Sets

This is the most important phase and the one most people skip. Before your first working set of any heavy compound movement, work up to your working weight through progressive warm-up sets. This rehearses the exact movement pattern you’re about to load heavily.

Example for a 100kg squat working set:

• Empty bar × 10 (focus on form, feel the movement)
• 40kg × 5
• 60kg × 3
• 80kg × 2
• 90kg × 1
• 100kg × working sets

Each set should feel progressively heavier but never fatiguing. Rest 1–2 minutes between warm-up sets.

Common Warm-Up Mistakes

Mistake 1: Static Stretching Before Lifting

Static stretching before training acutely reduces muscle strength and power output — the opposite of what you want. Save prolonged static stretches for after training or on rest days. Before training, use dynamic movement instead.

Mistake 2: Too Many Warm-Up Sets

Excessive warm-up sets accumulate fatigue before you’ve done a single working set. You shouldn’t be tired from warming up. Keep reps low (2–5) and rest brief as you approach your working weight.

Mistake 3: Jumping Straight to Working Weight

Going from zero to maximum effort without progressive loading is the most common cause of training injuries. Always work up gradually, regardless of time pressure.

Sample Warm-Up Routines by Session Type

Lower Body / Squat Day:
2-min bike or row → hip 90/90s → ankle circles → goblet squat × 10 → progressive squat warm-up sets

Upper Body / Push Day:
2-min light row → shoulder circles → band pull-aparts × 15 → thoracic rotations → progressive press warm-up sets

Deadlift Day:
2-min walk or row → cat-cow × 10 → hip hinge with stick × 10 → progressive deadlift warm-up sets

How Warm-Up Fits Into a Structured Programme

A well-structured programme — like those built by Zerxus — accounts for warm-up time in session planning. If you’re building a strength programme from scratch, build 10 minutes of warm-up time into each session and include it in the time estimate for your workout.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a warm-up be?

8–12 minutes is optimal for most training sessions. Less than 5 minutes is usually insufficient to achieve meaningful physiological preparation. More than 20 minutes risks accumulating unnecessary fatigue.

Do I need to warm up for every exercise?

You need a thorough warm-up for the first heavy compound movement of your session. Subsequent exercises in the same session require fewer or no additional warm-up sets, as your body is already prepared. If you switch to a very different movement pattern (e.g., going from squats to bench press), a few light warm-up sets on the new exercise are sensible.

Should I warm up differently as I get older?

Yes. Connective tissue and joints become stiffer with age, and the risk from skipping warm-up increases. Lifters over 40 often find that slightly longer warm-ups (15–20 minutes) and more attention to mobility significantly improve session quality and comfort.