Warm Up
Level
beginner
Category
cardio A general warm-up session of light cardiovascular activity used to raise body temperature and prepare joints and muscles before training.
Instructions
- Pick whatever combination of activities prepares you for the session — light cardio, dynamic mobility, foam rolling, or warm-up sets of your first lift.
- Start at a low intensity and progress gradually. Stop short of fatigue.
- Spend a few minutes total, more if it’s cold or you’ve been sedentary all day.
Tips
- Match the warm-up to the session: lift-specific warm-up sets for strength work, general cardio for conditioning, joint mobility for movement-heavy sessions.
- The goal is preparation, not training stimulus. Save the effort for your working sets.
- A good warm-up leaves you a little warm and breathing slightly elevated, with no muscle fatigue.
Recommended starting values
Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.
| Goal | Sets | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Gain strength | 3 | 25 s |
| Build muscle | 3 | 40 s |
| Build endurance | 3 | 1 min |