Bodybuilder shares 5-minute weighted warm-up for better gains

• One bodybuilder said he has stopped skipping warm-ups and it has led to better results in the gym.
• A 5-minute warm-up can help improve muscle activation and reduce the risk of injury.
• Research shows that adding weights to a warm-up can lead to better performance.

One bodybuilder said a four-part warm-up with some weight lifting helps him get the most out of his workouts to build muscle and strength.

Andre Adams, a master trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, competes in the International Federation of Bodybuilding’s pro league.

Adams said taking even a few minutes to warm up and working in a few sets with moderate weight can translate into better movement.

This can be especially important for anyone hitting the gym after a desk job, as sitting all day can cause tension and muscle imbalances.

“Skipping a warm-up is a lot more common than you think. I’ve been guilty of it too, everyone is pressed for time,” he told Business Insider. “It doesn’t have to be long, it could be five minutes. It’s just doing the right movements for the workout.”

A quick four-part warm-up includes foam rolling and bodyweight exercises

Adams said he typically spends about five minutes warming up with muscle activations, followed by five minutes of light cardio.

Jumping into a workout right away can increase your risk of injury, which may not happen right away but can build up over time and cause persistent pain.

A warm-up is also important to prepare the muscles and joints to work effectively so you can maintain the highest possible quality of movement.

“When I was younger and my body was much more resilient, I would often skip warm-ups and get away with it. However, as I got older, this led to soreness, muscle imbalances, unproductive workouts and ultimately injuries and setbacks,” he said .

Now he warms up by following four steps recommended by the NASM:

Forbid – the first step is to release tension and soothe overactive or tense muscles, usually through foam rolling.

Extend — next is some stretching, which can be static (holding a stretch) or dynamic, with movement. For a typical leg day, Adams said he might do some standing hip circles.

Activate — preparing the right muscle groups, often with body weight exercises. For example, to target the glutes for leg day, Adams does glute bridge marches.

Integrate — by putting it all together with compound exercises that resemble what you will do during training. These can include bodyweight movements such as squats. It can (and should) also include weight exercises, but at a slightly lower intensity than your work sets.

Adding weights to a warm-up can improve performance

A small recent study found that athletes who lifted heavier during warm-up (80% of their 10-rep maximum) were able to lift more during their workout and performed better.

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“Making the right decisions during warm-up can significantly improve exercise performance,” study author Igor Nasser, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told Business Insider. “In our study it was clear that the strategy of applying greater intensity during the warm-up sets leads to better results than using lighter loads, which is more commonly applied.”

It confirms what bodybuilders already know: that if you don’t go heavy enough during the warm-up, gains can be left on the table, Adams said.

“You haven’t activated as many muscle fibers as you could have,” he said.

That doesn’t mean you have to do everything you can. Adams said that for a 200-pound working weight, a warm-up might include a 100-pound set, followed by a 150-pound set before the main event.

Taking your time with all parts of the process adds just a few minutes to a workout and can improve performance, improve range of motion and prevent injuries.

“Not only does it get the muscle fibers activated, but it also gets the body working as a system, which is why we need to do these four steps,” Adams said.