The Ultimate Guide to Warming Up for CrossFit Workouts
Warming up before a workout is super important, especially for CrossFit, which has intense and varied exercises. A good warm-up can make a huge difference in how well you perform and help keep you safe from injuries. In this guide, we’ll explain why warming up is so important, the benefits, and how to do it right for your CrossFit workouts.
What Is a Warm-Up?
A warm-up is a set of exercises you do before your main workout. The goal is to get your heart rate up, increase blood flow to your muscles, improve joint movement, and get your body and mind ready for the workout. A good warm-up usually includes light cardio, stretching, muscle activation, and practicing the skills you’ll use in your workout.
Benefits of Warming Up for CrossFit
Mental Preparation
Warming up isn’t just for your body; it’s for your mind too. CrossFit workouts can be intense and complicated, which can feel overwhelming. A structured warm-up helps you shift your focus from your daily routine to the workout, making you more mentally prepared and confident.
Preventing Injuries
A proper warm-up is one of the best ways to prevent injuries. Cold muscles and stiff joints are more likely to get hurt. By gradually increasing your body temperature and blood flow, a warm-up prepares your muscles and joints for the workout. Stretching and mobility exercises help your joints move smoothly and reduce the risk of strains and sprains.
Performing at Your Best
A good warm-up gets your body ready to perform at its best. Increased blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients for your muscles, helping them work better. Warmed-up muscles are more flexible and responsive, making it easier to do complex movements and lift heavier weights. Muscle activation exercises ensure the right muscles are ready to work hard.
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General CrossFit Warm-Up Routine
Here’s a general warm-up routine that works well for most workouts. warm-ups for specific exercises can be found below in the article.
Aerobic Warm-Up (2,5-5 minutes)
- Jogging, Rowing, Cycling on the Assault Bike or Bike Erg: Start with a minimum of 2,5 minutes of aerobic exercise to get your heart and lungs into working pace. You will also get your muscles going.
Mobility Warm-Up (5-10 minutes)
- Shoulder External Rotations – 10 repetitions
Hold a resistance band with both hands, elbows bent at 90 degrees and tucked to your sides, then rotate your forearms outward while keeping your elbows close to your body to engage your shoulder muscles. - Pull Aparts- 10 repetitions.
Hold a resistance band with both hands at shoulder width, arms extended straight in front of you, then pull the band apart by moving your hands outward until your arms are fully extended to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together. - Lats Stretch – 45 seconds.
Place your hands on a wall at shoulder height, then step back and lean your upper body down and forward, keeping your arms straight and your head between your arms, to stretch your latissimus dorsi muscles. - Shoulder Taps- 20 taps in total.
Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, then lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder while keeping your core tight and hips stable, alternating sides. - Inch Worm Walk – 5 repetitions
Begin standing, then bend at the waist and place your hands on the floor, walking them forward into a plank position; from there, walk your feet toward your hands, keeping your legs as straight as possible, and repeat the movement.
Muscle Activation and Skills Training Warm-up (5-10 minutes)
Two rounds of barbell warm-up. Start with an empty bar and do 8 reps of all the barbell movements. Then add a little bit of weight for a second round of 8 reps per movement.
- Deadlifts – 8 + 8 repetitions.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a barbell on the floor in front of you. Bend at your hips and knees, grip the barbell with your hands just outside your knees, then lift the barbell by straightening your hips and knees, keeping your back flat and chest up throughout the movement. - Power Cleans – 8 + 8 repetitions.
Start with your feet hip-width apart and a barbell on the floor. Bend at your hips and knees to grip the barbell just outside your knees, then explosively extend your hips and knees to lift the bar, shrugging your shoulders and pulling yourself under the bar to catch it on your shoulders in a squat position before standing up straight. - Strict Press- 8 + 8 repetitions.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell resting on your shoulders. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width, then press it straight overhead by extending your arms, keeping your core tight and avoiding using your legs for assistance. - Front Squats – 8 + 8 repetitions.
Hold a barbell on your front shoulders with your elbows high and your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by bending at your hips and knees, keeping your chest up and elbows high, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then push through your heels to return to standing.
By this time your should be feeling warm and ready for the workout. Be sure however not to jump straight in to full power.Even though you are warm you should start with an easy weight and build up for a few sets before going full power.
What Equipment is needed
- Rower, Air Bike, Bike Erg or similar for Aerobic warm-up
- Resistance Bands for mobility warm-up
- Barbell and plates for the skills warm-up
Check out the Equipment subsite for more tools, tips, and inspiration.
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Exercise specific Warm-Ups:
The General CrossFit warm-up above is a good starting point that prepares you for most workouts. You should however adjust the warm-up for the specific workout ahead, especially if you are doing heavy lifts. Here we have put together specific warm-ups for the most common exercices:
Leg Warm-Up:
This warm-up is adapted to leg workouts including exercises like Squats, Pistols, Deadlifts and similar. The Leg warm-ups focuses on both mobility and muscle activation for the legs like Air Squats and Cossack Squats and utilizes barbell exercises to warm the legs properly.
Shoulder Warm-Up
This warm-up is adapted to shoulder workouts including exercises like Presses, Pull-ups, Handstand Push-ups and similar. The Shoulder warm-ups focuses on both mobility and muscle activation for the Shoulders like Inch Worm and resistance band drills and utilizes barbell exercises to warm the Shoulders further.
Snatch Warm Up
This warm-up is adapted to Snatch workouts including exercises like Squat Snatch and Power Snatch. The Snatch warm-ups focuses on both mobility and muscle activation for the Snatch like Inch Worm and resistance band drills and utilizes barbell exercises to warm the body for Snatching.
Clean Warm-Up
This warm-up is adapted to Clean workouts including exercises like Squat Clean and Power Clean. The Clean warm-ups focuses on both mobility and muscle activation for the Clean like Cossack squats and resistance band drills and utilizes barbell exercises to warm the body for Cleaning.
How to Build a CrossFit Warm-Up
A good CrossFit warm-up should cover all the bases. Here’s how to put together a great warm-up routine:
Aerobic Warm-Up
Start with some light cardio to get your heart rate up and blood flowing. This could be jogging, rowing, cycling, or jumping rope. Aim for 5-10 minutes of steady, moderate-intensity activity.
Mobility Warm-Up
Mobility exercises improve your range of motion and flexibility. Dynamic stretches, which involve moving parts of your body through their full range of motion, are great. Examples include leg swings, arm circles, hip openers, and spine rotations. Pick movements that mimic the exercises you’ll be doing in your workout.
Muscle Activation
Muscle activation exercises wake up the key muscle groups you’ll be using. These exercises can use resistance bands, light weights, or just your body weight. For example, if you’re doing squats, lunges, or deadlifts, try glute bridges or banded side steps to activate your glutes and hips. For upper-body workouts, do scapular push-ups or band pull-aparts to engage your shoulders and back.
Skills Training Warm-Up
Include some skill-specific drills to refine your technique and prepare your nervous system. This is important for complex movements like Olympic lifts or gymnastics exercises. Practice lighter sets of the key exercises in your workout, focusing on perfect form. This could be practicing cleans and jerks with an empty barbell, doing kipping pull-ups, or rehearsing double-unders.
Why Not Start Cold?
Starting a workout without warming up can lead to poor performance and injuries. Cold muscles are less elastic and more likely to tear. Stiff joints limit your range of motion, making it hard to do exercises correctly. Your heart and lungs also need time to adjust to the workout. Jumping in cold can make you feel sluggish, increase your risk of injury, and lower your overall performance.
Benefits of a Proper Warm-Up:
- Better Muscle Performance: Warm muscles work more efficiently and produce more power.
- Improved Coordination: A good warm-up gets your nervous system ready, improving your coordination.
- Increased Mental Focus: Warming up helps you focus better on your workout.
- Reduced Injury Risk: Warm muscles and joints are less likely to get hurt.
Conclusion:
Warming up is a must for any CrossFit workout. It gets your body and mind ready for intense exercise, helps you perform better, and reduces the risk of injury. A good warm-up includes light cardio, mobility exercises, muscle activation, and skill-specific drills. Don’t skip the warm-up—take the time to prepare properly, and you’ll see the benefits in your performance and overall fitness.
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