Game Changer
GAME CHANGER #05: Warm up smart
A warm-up isn't about “working up a quick sweat.” It's the first part of your workout, and it determines the quality of every set that follows.
This is the fifth instalment in the GAME CHANGER series — knowledge that genuinely changes your training. Today: the warm-up.
The most common mistake
Skipping your warm-up or just going through the motions — 5 minutes on the exercise bike, then straight into a heavy set. That's the fastest route to stagnation.
Higher injury risk
cold joints and tendons don't like dynamic loads
Accumulating overload
small micro-injuries add up over weeks
Poorer movement quality
your technique breaks down in the very first set
Slower progress
you're training, but the results aren't coming
What a good warm-up does for you
You activate your muscles
the ones that actually need to work in that session
You prepare your joints
shoulders, elbows and wrists are fundamental in calisthenics
You stimulate your nervous system
faster, more reliable movement control
You improve movement quality
cleaner reps from the first set
Warm up smart — 4 steps
01 Raise your body temperature
3–5 minutes of light movement
02 Spend about 30 seconds on each joint
circular movements, full range of motion
03 Activate the muscles that will be working the most
resistance bands, shoulder blades, core
04 Do an easier version of the exercises to come
a warm-up set instead of going all-out from the start
Warming up isn't a waste of time before your workout. It's the part of your workout that determines the quality of everything that follows.
Want a warm-up tailored to your level and goal? Check out beginner training or skill training — I build each warm-up around a specific plan, not a template.
Next step
Book a free consultation
Tell me where you are now and what you want to achieve. Together, we’ll decide on the first step — with no obligation.