How to Warm Up Before Lifting: A 10-Minute Routine

0 to Elite course · Lesson 11 of 100 · Level 1: Movement Foundations

Welcome to Level 1. Over the next lessons you will learn the main movement patterns one by one. Before any of them, you need a warm-up that prepares your body to lift. It does not need to be long or clever. It needs to be the same simple routine, done every time.

Why warm up at all?

A warm-up does three jobs. It raises your body temperature and heart rate, so your muscles and joints feel looser. It takes your joints through the ranges of movement you are about to use. And it rehearses the exact lift you are about to do, so your technique is sharp before the weight gets heavy.

In your first week at the gym you were told to start every session with a warm-up. This lesson shows you exactly what to do. Most people find a proper warm-up makes their working sets feel smoother and more controlled. It is also a good moment to check in with yourself: if something feels sore or unusual, you notice it now rather than halfway through a heavy set.

The 10-minute warm-up routine

Use this three-part structure before every strength session:

1. General warm-up (3-5 minutes). Bike, rower, cross-trainer or brisk walking on an incline. Easy pace. You should be able to talk in full sentences, but feel slightly warmer by the end.
2. Mobility drills (3-4 minutes). Five or six movements for the joints you are about to use, 6-10 slow reps each. See the list below.
3. Ramp-up sets (2-4 minutes). Lighter sets of your first exercise, building up towards your working weight.

That is it. You do not need 20 minutes of foam rolling or a long list of stretches before you lift.

Mobility drills that actually help

Choose drills that match the session. These cover most of the movements in this course:

• Cat-camel: on hands and knees, slowly round then arch your back. Wakes up the spine.
• Bodyweight squat to a box: slow and controlled, getting a little deeper each rep. Perfect before the squat lesson.
• Hip hinge with a dowel: a broom handle along your back while you push your hips back. Prepares you for the hip hinge.
• World’s greatest stretch: a long lunge, hand down inside your front foot, then rotate and reach to the ceiling. Hips, hamstrings and upper back in one move.
• Band pull-aparts: hold a light band at shoulder height and pull it apart. Great before pressing or rowing.
• Arm circles and shoulder rolls: small to large circles, both directions.

Keep these moving and controlled. Long static stretches, where you hold one position for 30 seconds or more, are better saved for after training or a separate session. You will learn more in mobility basics for lifters.

How to do ramp-up sets

Ramp-up sets are the most important part of the warm-up and the part beginners skip most often. They are lighter sets of the first exercise of the day that build up to your working weight. Here is an example if you plan to squat 40kg for 3 sets of 8:

• Empty bar (20kg) x 10 reps
• 30kg x 5 reps
• 35kg x 3 reps
• Then start your working sets at 40kg

Keep ramp-up sets easy, with short rests. They should leave you feeling prepared, not tired. As your working weights grow over the coming months, you will add more steps. For the second and third exercises of the session, one or two lighter sets are usually enough, because you are already warm.

Common warm-up mistakes

• Skipping it because you are short on time. Cut an accessory exercise instead.
• Doing too much. If you are sweating heavily and out of breath before your first working set, scale it back.
• Jumping straight to your working weight. Always ramp up.
• Random drills. Pick drills for the joints you are training today.
• Treating it as a way to avoid soreness. A warm-up prepares you to train. Some muscle soreness after new exercise is normal anyway. Read the full guide to muscle soreness relief.

Stop and get checked: if you feel chest pain, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or sharp joint pain during your warm-up, stop training. See your GP, or a physio for joint pain, before you carry on. Lesson 4 covers when to get a health check before starting exercise.

Your action steps

1. Write the three-part warm-up (general, mobility, ramp-up) at the top of your training log so you never skip it.
2. Pick five mobility drills from the list above and practise them at home today, slowly, 8 reps each.
3. In your next session, do at least three ramp-up sets before your first exercise and note the weights.
4. Time your full warm-up. Aim for 10 minutes, and no more than 15.

Frequently asked questions

How long should you warm up before lifting weights?

Around 10 minutes is enough for most people: a few minutes of easy cardio, a few mobility drills, then lighter ramp-up sets of your first exercise.

Should I stretch before lifting weights?

Use moving, controlled mobility drills before lifting. Long static stretches held for 30 seconds or more are usually better saved for after training or a separate session.

What are ramp-up sets?

Ramp-up sets are lighter sets of your first exercise that build up gradually to your working weight. They warm up the exact muscles and rehearse your technique before the heavy sets.

Keep going

Previous: Lesson 10: Your First Week at the Gym, Day by Day

Next: Lesson 12: How to Brace Your Core When You Lift

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