Creating a Proper Warm-Up

There is no such thing as an effective training program without a well-rounded, self-sustaining, efficient warm-up. There is a lot that should be considered when writing a warm-up or pre-training program for an athlete. I am not talking about putting some light weight on the bar and performing 10-15 repetitions or jogging on the treadmill so an athlete can get “warm”. Oh, and the petty jog around the field is also an extremely poor choice. Warm-ups for athletes need to focus on certain areas such as the thoracic spine, shoulders, core, hips, glutes and ankles to just name a couple. Warm-ups are the underlining key for coaches to help decrease an athlete's chances of injury and ultimately help prepare them for their training program or session. 

Personally at OPZ I have 5 categories that I make sure to check off when creating a full proper warm-up for an athlete, but before I jump into that I want to mention the RAMP protocol. When creating my warm-ups I have always gone by the RAMP protocol, which was developed by Dr. Ian Jeffreys. The RAMP protocol is not only an easy way to remember what a proper warm-up should include, but it also describes the ideal order in which a warm-up should be accomplished. RAMP stands for:

• Raise - The job of raise is to increase core body temperature, heart rate, blood flow, joint viscosity and mental awareness. 

• Activate - The job of activate is to literally “activate” the muscles that will be used prior to the training program. 

• Mobilize - The job of mobilize is to perform certain movements or exercises that will be used in the training program. I like to think of this as “mobility needs” or mobility drills that will improve range of motion and overall movement. 

• Potentiate - The job of potentiate is to increase the stress or intensity of the athlete to really prime the athletes for the training program. I tend to use plyometric variations for this. 

Activate and mobilize are often paired together and even in my own structure I program certain mobility exercises before the activation phase. At the end of the day, it is safe to say that if you follow the RAMP protocol an athlete will be in a primed stage to start their training program. 

I like to think that my 5 categories follow the RAMP protocol and below I list each one with a brief explanation for each.

1. FOAM ROLLING:

Foam rolling, soft tissue work, myofasical release or whatever you want to call it, is such an important part of a proper warm-up. This is my substitute for static stretching hence I rarely have any of my athletes perform any static stretching, as it has shown over the years to be pointless and if anything - detrimental to performance. I appreciate foam rolling because it allows an athlete to get a greater range of motion and it also has a positive effect on muscle tone. At OPZ the first thing I have an athlete do when they arrive is grab some kind of myofascial tool and begin their foam rolling series, shoeless. I like them to start at the most distal parts of the body, usually the feet and work their way up the kinetic chain rolling out the proximal portions of the muscle before working on the distal segments. I like this method as it ensures a smooth transition from muscle group to muscle group and it will make sure to release tension within the muscles. This type of foam rolling can add up anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on the athlete and their specific needs, but the amount of time involved is considerably small compared to the benefits it offers. 

2. DYNAMIC WARM-UP:

A dynamic warm-up consists of multiple different dynamic movements that prepares an athlete for the upcoming training program. To most, this is what is considered a full pre-training program for either training or sport. I do think that it may be the most important part of a pre-training program as it may involve the entire RAMP protocol. Again, a DYNAMIC warm-up needs to include controlled movements that prepare the joints, ligaments, tissues and muscles for training which in-fact should eliminate any static stretching. I have found that it is best to organize a dynamic warm-up in that athletes are not constantly switching from the ground to their feet, but instead there should be a smooth transition from movement to movement. This is the longest part of an athletes warm-up here at OPZ as it will take about 10-15 minutes for an athlete to complete. 

3. MOBILITY:

When I write a warm-up I already have in mind the mobility drills that an athlete is going to be performing from their initial assessment. Realistic mobility drills are often overlooked when putting together a warm-up and I also think they should be performed in the beginning for efficiency hence most of them are done on the ground. Mobility drills should be specific in addressing the imbalances and mobility needs of an athlete. I use the term Mobility Needs for my athletes as most athletes will have about 2-5 different mobility drills specific to them and if we are working with the hips then it will most likely be on the upper side of that. Basically, if an athlete can’t move very well because they are tight they will end up having more mobility drills compared to someone who has more ligament laxity. For a simplistic example, for a female soccer player with short “tight” hip flexors I may give her a variation of a hip flexor mob for hip mobility on her lower body day as shown below:

4. ACTIVATION:

At OPZ, the activation portion usually involves some variation of band work along with an emphasis on isometric exercises. This is also individualized for each athlete's needs and more importantly is specific to what they will be training that day. So if it's a lower body training day then there will be special attention to activating the ankles, core, glutes and hips to name a few. I usually program about 4-5 activation exercises that range anywhere from 1-3 sets depending on the athlete. It's at the end of this phase I like to see an athlete with a light sweat and a noticeable increase in body temperature because it then gives me a good feel if they are ready to progress to the training program.

5. POTENTIATION:

Often forgotten is the potentiation portion of the warm-up as it may not be as well known. I use this phase as a way to increase the intensity of the athlete so they are prepared for high power and high velocity exercises that will be closely related to exercises performed in that training program. A true potentiation phase will prime an athlete for their training program more than just any dynamic warm-up. For me, this is the last phase of the pre-training program prior to starting their actual training program. I like to use what I call a mini plyo circuit (there is probably a better more proper name, but I use this one). In short, it's a higher intensity plyometric exercise followed by a lower intensity exercise or movement (often a superset), and usually I program a mobility drill or activation exercise after the high intensity plyometric exercise. Here is a simple example using an explosive medball variation paired with a squat variation: 

I use these 5 categories as a way to not only structure a proper warm-up, but a well-balanced strength and conditioning program. In all honesty, my athletes will go about 30 minutes without even touching a weight before they start their training program. Obviously the most important component to consider is the individual athletes’ needs and what exactly they are preparing for.