What to Do Before Training
Whether you’re new to sports or just feeling a little uncomfortable working with them throughout the day, a routine can help you move from your non-exercise life to getting ready for your day’s workout.
The exact milestones in your routine will differ from person to person, but you can create one that only works for you. Here are some ideas, but feel free to skip any steps that don’t make sense to you. You don’t have to do everything; think of it as a menu of choice.
Eat Before Workout or Shake
If you train first thing in the morning, you train on an empty stomach. Some people prefer this, but in general you will feel more lethargic and may not be able to run as fast or lift weights as if you were eating.
If you’ve eaten in the past few hours, it doesn’t really matter. But if it makes sense to eat a little pre-workout food, consider a small meal or shake right before exercise, or a large meal if you can schedule it an hour or two before your workout.
Before heading out for a run, my favorite breakfast is a Clif bar or a cup of oatmeal at night (1/2 cup each oats, almond milk, and yogurt, plus some fruit). Before working out, I prefer something high in protein, like a shake made from one cup of almond milk and a scoop of whey protein powder.
Get dressed
Changing into workout clothes takes time, and I find it important when planning my workout to make sure I take that into account, rather than wondering why I’m 15 minutes late at the end of my workout.
Your choice of clothing doesn’t have to be complicated , just right. It’s not interesting to know that there are a lot of jumping rope in today’s workout, and you don’t wear a good sports bra, or do deadlifts, but wear shorts and forgot your deadlift socks . Check out your workout plan for the day before getting dressed.
Customize what you need that day
If you go to the gym, it could mean that you are packing your suitcase. At home, there may be a few other things to do to get set up. Do not be offended by the fact that you need to rearrange the sofa before training; just incorporate it into your daily routine.
I have a sequence of how I start my workout at the gym in the garage. I go downstairs with coffee and snacks and open the garage door. After I set my things down, I drag the stall mat to a designated spot in the driveway. Then I put on my weightlifting boots and started a day page in my training diary .
I find it helpful to have a certain order of things because then you can do them on autopilot and you won’t be surprised in the middle of a workout to find that you don’t have what you need. Following a routine also marks the transition from daily life to exercise. It’s like a mental warm-up.
Go for a foam ride or do a dynamic stretch
This is something I personally miss, but a lot of people like it. Do you feel stiff at the start of your workout? Need to awaken some flexibility before starting the basic exercises?
If so, dynamic stretches like high knees and buttock kicks are a good way to relax. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite dynamic stretching videos here .
Traditional “static” stretching isn’t really a good warm-up , so I wouldn’t recommend it unless it serves a specific purpose for you. (If you’ve always done this, and it’s part of your routine, this may very well be the goal.)
Another alternative to stretching is foam rubber rolling . A roller can relax you just like dynamic stretching and give you a massage-like start to your workout. Like stretching, this is something to use if it works for you and skip it if you’ve tried it and don’t like it.
Do some light cardio
One of the goals of warming up is to literally keep warm. Even if you plan on just exercising, a short cardio workout can help you prepare for a real workout.
If you are going to do cardio in your workout – for example, going for a run – be sure to start with light cardio. If you are doing a long run, this may mean that the first mile will simply need to be slower before returning to your normal pace. If you are planning a HIIT workout or anything else intense, I find that 10 minutes on a stationary bike or jogging can help not feel so bad at the start of a “real” workout.
Prepare for Every Heavy Exercise
This is for the lifters. The first few sets of any exercise should be a lighter version of what you plan to work on.
So if you want to squat and plan to load 150 pounds for your work sets, you will need to do multiple sets while working on that. A typical sequence might look something like this:
- Just an empty bar (£ 45)
- 95 lbs
- 135 lbs
- 150 lbs
Some people prefer more warm-up sets with smaller jumps in between; some will take a big step forward. A very light exercise may not require any warm-up sets at all – say a 20-pound dumbbell curl – but all large or complex exercises will benefit from a proper warm-up.