How do you warmup?

[TruffleShuffle]

In a few weeks i'll be starting my first ever logged, 12 week bulk, with photos and measurements and everything. This will also be my first time in a gym in like 7 or 8 years, having worked out more recently from home.

As part of all these changes i would like to sort out my warm-up's and warm-downs. At present, at home, my warm ups are nothing more than running up and down the stairs a few times and doing a set or two of half weight reps, increasing the range of motion with each rep.

So, simply, how do you warmup and warm down?

PS. Expect to see a few more question threads from me before my bulk log goes up.

 

[pmiller383]

I do some dynamic stretching before I lift, no crazy just enough to get blood going to the area and loosen the muscle up a bit. If you can find the Magnificent Mobility dvd (friends, torrents, etc) it is worth watching. Depending on the movements and how I am feeling I will also do some very light isolation work to further involve some muscle. For example when I bench press I always do some tricep activation work with some bands.

 

[karlHungus]

A warm muscle is a safe muscle.
Warming up should be a part of your workout taken seriously to avoid injury.
Many believe that by simply stretching the cold muscle you are warming it up. This is not true; a real warm up consists of movements that pump blood into the muscle therefore warming it up (in short).
Inside the muscle, the temperature increases due to an increased blood flow and contractions become more forceful (and vice versa) preventing strains, pulls (injury) ect…
Warming up – I back the way pmiller does the isolation warm up before working sets. Working the smaller muscles involved (first) w/ a light weight. I, for example, like to 2 or 3 sets of push-ups before I do any chest work. They’re easy, I can control my own bodyweight and it does the job.