Warm-up features before crossfit workout

May 13, 2021 Jacob Jones 0 Sport

Any athlete before each workout is simply obliged to warm up all muscle groups of the body well, otherwise, during the exercise, you can very easily get injured. Crossfitters in this regard are no exception, but on the contrary – it is especially important for them to prepare muscles, joints and ligaments for exercises, which often combine elements of weightlifting and gymnastic tricks. So, a crossfit warm-up should be an integral part of every workout, because its main goal is to prepare the cardiovascular, respiratory, and also musculoskeletal systems for performing the main training complex.

Crossfit warm-up features

CrossFit is functional strength training. It is during intense movements that the risk of injuring cold joints and ligaments increases several times. At the very beginning of the lesson, do not be lazy to make a few movements for warm-up.

Before starting classes, each athlete should slightly raise the body temperature, as well as smoothly prepare the body for a more difficult load. But it should be done correctly – by the end of the warm-up, you should not be very tired. Very often, many athletes, even while warming up, do some exercises too intensely, thereby driving themselves out at the initial stage of training.

Remember! The warm-up doesn’t have to be like a WOD – it’s enough to do a few simple exercises in a not very intense mode to warm up the muscles.

Warming up before CrossFit training should not interfere with the main program. You shouldn’t do too many push-ups as a warm-up if you are going to do, for example, the Cindy set of pull-ups, push-ups, and squats in your main workout. The warm-up should be just a “snack” before the main course.

It is very important not to get tired before completing the exercise program for the day, you should have a lot of strength and energy. It is best to do fairly simple exercises that do not require much physical effort from the athlete.

Warming up before CrossFit will give you the opportunity to gauge how you are feeling today. If all movements are difficult, the main training program should be more lightweight.

The benefits of warming up before CrossFit

Warming up before CrossFit is a significant part of the training process. It is as important in CrossFit as it is in any other sport. All professional athletes warm up their muscles for a responsible competition.

Why do you need to warm up before crossfit workout:

to prevent various types of damage;
in order to increase the efficiency of classes several times;
during the warm-up, the level of adrenaline production increases, which contributes to an increase in the intensity of the session;
to improve the blood circulation in the body;
after warm-up, muscles and ligaments become more elastic;
to slightly increase strength.

Crossfit warm-up rules

There are a few simple rules to follow in order to warm up before CrossFit benefit the athlete, not harm it:

Before training, you should carry out 3 types of warm-ups – general (cardio), articular and functional. First you need to prepare the heart for work and raise the pulse, for this a little aerobic work is done. The articular warm-up allows you to increase the mobility of the joints, the elasticity of the ligaments and tendons, and the functional one – to prepare the muscles that you will train for work.
When warming up, focus on those muscle groups that you will use in your workout. For example, if you plan to load the glutes and legs, it is inappropriate to do 50 warm-up push-ups from the bench on the triceps.
The best warm-up completely mimics the exercises that you are going to perform in the main workout, only using a lighter weight or no weight at all (when it comes to strength complexes). If, for example, you plan to run in class, then after a joint warm-up, run a little in place to warm up and stretch.
Do not arrange a separate training session from the warm-up. This is fundamentally wrong, especially for a beginner. It is not at all necessary to warm up for forty minutes to achieve a positive result. You can warm up your muscles qualitatively in just a few minutes. A couple of exercises will be enough to prepare the body for real stress.

Warm Up Types

There are several common warm-ups, each of which will help the athlete to purposefully prepare the body for a heavier load.

General warm-up

The main purpose of this type of warm-up is the smooth entry of the body into the exercise process. Do cardio work (athletes most often jump rope and jog). A general warm-up should take about 5-10 minutes.

Joint warm-up

This warm-up is a simple exercise aimed at developing joints before class. During the articular warm-up, the athlete alternately works and warms up all the joints of the body. Exercises must be performed one after the other. The athlete works out the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, lower back, pelvis, knees, ankles.

Special (functional) warm-up

Athletes do this kind of warm-up before specific exercises. You only need to target certain muscle groups. For example, if you need to do a bench press, then the first set is best done with an empty bar. Then the load increases a little, but if you have decent working weights, then putting 100 kg right after the empty bar will be wrong, you need another 1-2 warm-up approaches. This will be an example of a special warm-up.

Before the popular exercise in CrossFit called “box jumping”, it is best to warm up by jumping rope a little. Thus, each athlete needs to do a couple of warm-up sets for a particular exercise. You need to complete them before the main WOD workout. The number of repetitions per set should be minimal.

Basic warm-up exercises

In many gyms, you can see this picture when, as a warm-up, some athletes simply exercise for 15-20 minutes on exercise bikes or on a treadmill. In this way, you can increase the pulse, warm up certain parts of the body, but you will not be able to work well on flexibility, as well as comprehensively prepare the body for training. Plus, you’ll drive yourself out before your main workout begins.

There are several effective exercises that you can do as a warm-up. All of them will contribute to the development of specific muscle groups. Below you will find the most popular crossfit workouts. Remember to do a full joint warm-up before doing them.

Squats

This exercise is common in all sports. Air squats are best done during your crossfit warm-up. Jump squats are also suitable. More experienced and enduring athletes can perform the so-called “pistol” squat on one leg. You must follow a precise movement pattern.

During squats, the athlete must keep his back straight. The movements can be quite intense, but remember to breathe in the correct rhythm – inhale when lowering, exhale when rising.

After regular squats, you can do several squats, holding the bar from the bar with outstretched arms above your head. In this case, be sure to monitor the coordination of movements.

Hyperextension

This exercise can be done both on a special simulator and using parallel bars or a fitball. Hyperextension allows you to stretch and warm up your back muscles well. Work without weights during warm-up. Watch your back and move slowly enough. The buttocks and hamstrings also take part in the movement.

Lunges

To warm up the body before training, this exercise must be performed quite intensely. If the area for training is not very large, keep in mind that it is not at all necessary to perform the movement while moving forward – you can do alternate lunges of the legs, remaining in one place (take a wide step, and then return to the starting position). During this exercise, athletes often use dumbbells, but this should not be done during the warm-up. Lunges help warm up all the muscles in your thigh.

Floor push-ups

Floor push-ups can also be done as a warm-up during CrossFit workout. The optimal number of repetitions for warming up is 10-15 in one set. Do not do more – the target muscle group (in this case, the triceps and pectoral muscles) should not get tired.

Performing push-ups, you need to go down to the floor while inhaling, and on exhaling, return to the starting position. Make sure that the range of motion is full. This means that when doing push-ups, you must touch the floor with your chest.

Standing barbell broach

This exercise will help the athlete prepare the deltas and traps for the main load. In order not to overload the muscles at the beginning of the workout, work only with an empty bar. Pull the projectile to the chin at a fairly slow pace. To warm up, it will be enough for you to perform about 12-15 repetitions. Remember, as you exhale, you need to pull your elbows up, and as you inhale, return to the starting position.

All of the above exercises will help warm up every large muscle group. You can also remember the warm-ups in physical education lessons at school – they are also suitable for preparing the body for a full workout. Try changing your warm-up exercises every day to be more effective.

Preparing for different types of loads

As already mentioned, the choice of exercises for warm-up largely depends on the complex (WOD) that you intend to work out in your CrossFit workout.

Warm up before cardio complexes

Cardio training is always associated with running, jumping. Therefore, before performing intense cardio movements, the athlete must prepare the cardiovascular system. You can jump rope without fanaticism, jog, and then work on stretching. The main goal of this warm-up is to slightly increase your heart rate.

Warm up before gymnastics

Before doing WODs containing gymnastic elements, you will need to do flexibility and stretching exercises. In this case, normal forward and side bends, knee bends, plie squats, lunges, and leg abductions are perfect.

Warm up before weightlifting

If during the main WOD you will work with heavy sports equipment, then, while warming up, you should perform those movements that will help work out the target muscle group that will be involved during the main set of exercises.

For example, if you are going to work out the bench press, then it is better to warm up with the same exercise, but with a lighter weight (use an empty bar). Before the barbell squat, you can do several sets of this exercise, but without the additional load. In the warm-up approach, the weight of the sports equipment should not be more than 50% of the main working load. You can also work on a specific element that makes up a particular exercise.

After the warm-up, the athlete should rest a little. You can start basic WOD in about 5 minutes.

Before completing the basic lesson plan, it is best to combine different types of warm-ups. Thus, you can effectively prepare the body for future loads, as well as protect joints and ligaments from dangerous injuries.