Warming up?

[deathdroprob]

Is it all that nessasary?
I mean Ill do a quick warm up of about 40kg's for like 10-12 reps before bench just to stop my shoulders from clicking. And thats about it.
And 40kg's is less than half my working weight (on a bad day).

Should I warm up on every excersise? And if so how much weight should I use?

I havent gotten any injuries from not warming up, but just wondering if it can add some size.

 

[automaticj5]

I usually just warm up on my first excersice of each workout... chest -- ill warm up on bench or incline whichever I do first... back and biceps day Ill warm up on my first back day cause my biceps will be scoldering hot by the time im done with back... shoulders and triceps -- same thing... legs, same deal...

get big bro

 

[stosstruppe]

I just warm up with light cardio & stretching before a resistance training session & I've never had a problem.

Mind you, I train for muscular endurance so I'm never really stressing my connective tissues.

 

[DaveTSI]

honetly i dont really warm up or stretch at all anymore and my joints dont suffer. I feel like novice/intermediate lifters always should, because their stabilizers are not nearly as strong as an advanced lifter. That leaves alot of room for mistakes with heavier weight and injuries. not warming up or stretching too much also helps an advanced lifter to take advantage of their natural stretch reflex in their muscles also, i feel stronger because of it.

 

[highlander555]

If you don't have time to warm up, you don't have time to train.

 

[gettnheavy]

I run a mile before every workout.

 

[keasbey]

i get the shoulder clicking and my hips dislike squating so im trying a more ramped up method of them instead of just hitting them 3x5 at my 5rp max.
i did light weight 12 reps then increased up while dropping the reps. my hips didnt feel bad at last few sets i was really excited because i couldnt get the full range of motion previously when getting higher in weight

 

[dirty~d~]

You know your body's response better than anyone, but warming up is necessary, IMO. Keep in mind that warm up isn't only for the muscles... tendons and ligaments and bones are part of the equation. You need to work 'lubrication' into your joints prior to hammering on them with heavy weight or you could start having problems with dry socket. If you have any prior joint injuries I would definitely recommend a thorough warm up.

 

[musketeer]

Warming up is important because it allows you to work out harder and helps you to prevent long term deterioration of joints. If you've not warmed up properly then you wont have an optimal bloodflow to the working muscles, your joints will not be lubricated, your nervous system will not be primed and you may still have knots in your musce fibres which could result in excessive fibre damage when performing the working sets. Good warmup for most cases would be light jog into a moderate jog followed by light stretching and then 3-6 sets of increaing intensity (but all submaximal) exercise before working sets.

For 5x5 bench workout (first working set of 5 with 200lbs) I would:

Jog for 10mins (or better still row)
5 min stretch with 60% of time on shoulder girdle
Standing Overhead Press 1 x 15 bar
Bench Press 1 x 20 x bar, 15 x 95, 10 x 135, 5 x 155, 5 x 185

 

[drsketch]

for chest I pump out the empty barbell for 15 reps or so then hit it
for arms I curl the 10lb db;s for 15 or so reps then do some standing tricep warmup
shoulders I shoulder press the 10lb dbs for 15 or so reps, then I hold the dbs out straight while doing circular motion warming my rotator cuffs good

Legs I squat 225 1x10
back I deadlift 225 1x10

I do just enough to get the blood flowing a bit.