How to Make Your Warm-Up Actually Matter
If your warm-up feels like a waste of time… it probably is.
Let’s be real: most people either skip their warm-up entirely or spend 20 minutes doing the same routine that hasn’t helped their pain, tightness, or performance at all.
You’re doing band pull-aparts, leg swings, or a few stretches but your shoulder still pinches at the bottom of a snatch. Your back still feels tight when you deadlift. Your hips still feel locked up halfway through a WOD.
Here’s the deal: your warm-up should be more than a checklist.
It should be something that sets you up for better movement, less pain, and stronger lifts.
Let’s walk through how to actually make it matter.
Most Warm-Ups Fail Because They’re Generic
If you're doing the same thing every day, no matter what the workout is or how your body feels, you're missing the point.
Your warm-up needs to:
Prep your nervous system
Open up range of motion in the right places
Build strength and control in positions that matter
Be specific to you… not just the workout
What a Great Warm-Up Looks Like
Here’s the framework I use with my patients (and myself):
1. Reset Your System
→ Think breathing, rib cage positioning, core stacking
Ex: Croc breathing, foam roller “split the log” position, 90/90 resets
2. Mobilize What Feels Stiff
→ Target specific limitations (not just stretch everything)
Ex: Wall thoracic rotations, Segmental Cat/Cow, adductor rockbacks
3. Activate What Feels Off
→ Glutes, mid-back, deep core. The body parts that tends to underperform
Ex: Offset RDLs, bear crawls, low oblique sit
4. Load + Groove the Pattern
→ Controlled reps of the actual lift or movement pattern you're about to do
Ex: Tempo goblet squats before front squats, KB strict press before snatches
The 5-Minute Warm-Up That Changes the Game
Want to feel the difference fast? Try this flow before your next Squatting lower body session:
Breathing Reset – Crocodile breathing x 5 breaths
T-Spine + Hip Opener – 90/90 to thread-the-needle x 6/side
Glute + Core Primer – Wall split squat iso hold x 20 sec/side
Pattern Groove – KB goblet squat w/ pause x 5 reps
Dynamic Movement – High knees or pogo hops x 20 seconds
This takes less than 5 minutes and will fire you up in all the right ways.
Bottom Line: Intent > Duration
A warm-up doesn’t have to be long. But it does need to be intentional.
When done right, it can reduce pain, improve performance, and make you feel more athletic every time you train.
Want a personalized warm-up that actually works for YOUR body?
Book a free movement screen and we’ll figure out exactly what’s missing in your current routine and what to do instead.
