Why We Warm Up the Way We Do (And Why You Should Not Skip It)
Every class at CrossFit Uncommon starts the same way. Before anybody touches a heavy barbell or starts a clock, we warm up together. Some people see it as the boring part. We see it as part of the workout.
A good warm up is not random jumping jacks while you wait for class to start. It has a job to do, and when it is done right you train better and feel better the next day.
What a warm up is supposed to do
CrossFit's own coaching material lays it out simply. A warm up should raise your body temperature and heart rate, move your joints through a full range of motion, wake up the whole body and give you practice on the basic movements you are about to use.
Then it should get your head in the right place for hard work.
General first, then specific
We start general. Rowing, biking, easy bodyweight movement. Just enough to get warm and breathing a little harder.
Then we get specific. If the workout has front squats, we squat. If it has pull ups, we work the hang, the kip or the scaled version you are going to use. By the time the clock starts, your body has already rehearsed what it is about to do.
It is coaching time
The warm up is where your coach sees how you move today. Tight hips, a cranky shoulder, a squat that looks different than last week. This is when we pick the right weight and the right version of each movement for you, so the workout itself goes smoothly.
It is also where you practice. Lots of easy, good reps on the basics adds up over months.
Showing up late costs you more than ten minutes
If you walk in after the warm up and jump straight into the workout, you are asking cold muscles and stiff joints to do your hardest work of the day. You also miss the part where we set your weights and scaling.
If you are running late, tell your coach and take a few minutes to get warm before you jump in.
You can do this on your own too
Training at home or on vacation? Same recipe. A few minutes of easy cardio, then move every joint, then practice the movements in the workout with light weight. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty.
Bottom line
The warm up is not the part you get through so you can train. It is part of the training. Show up on time, move with purpose and the rest of the hour gets better.
New to CrossFit or coming back after time off? Book a free intro with a coach at CrossFit Uncommon in North Austin. Link in bio, or start at crossfituncommon.com.
