Why busy women need a dynamic warm-up and how to do it right

“I don’t have time for one more thing to add to my day (I’m barely getting in a workout), why is this so important?”

It can almost seem counter-intuitive to tell some of the busiest humans out there that they need to do one more thing but hear me out.

Your body is NOT a machine.

There is no on or off switch, particularly for females. Our system works by gradual shifts and transitions, from developmental milestones to your menstrual cycle, to pregnancy, menopause, and beyond our bodies function best in stages.

You can’t run before you walk, and you can’t walk before you crawl.

In the same way, when we jump into a workout without a warm-up our body isn’t ready for, we skip a stage. A result of skipping that step is that our mind isn’t focused, we’re thinking about the next thing on our to-do list, the dishes, pick-up times, you name it. Our mind is elsewhere.

Where the mind is, the body will follow.

When you’re not mentally engaged with your training session, the body isn’t fully engaged.

Muscle growth requires mental focus.

A simple 5-minute total body warm-up allows the mind to be engaged and the body to be prepared for a warm-up and as a result both function better during your workouts, making training more effective with the time that you DO have.

What is a total body dynamic warm-up?

A successful total body dynamic warm-up covers all major joints of the body in a full range of motion. While doing so, it tells your heart to get more blood pumping to muscles, and as a result, muscles function better (like a door that has been well-oiled).

What’s the difference between a total body dynamic warm-up and a movement-specific warm-up? Do I need both?

A total body dynamic warm-up is GENERAL. Ideally, you’ll cover large muscle groups and joints to get the most blood flowing and decrease stiffness in general areas like your hips and back. A movement-specific warm-up is TARGETED. Bench pressing today? You should likely focus on preparing your upper back, lats, and pecs for movement. Squatting? You should spend a little extra time focusing on preparing your ankle mobility, hip rotation, and core control.

How do I do a total body dynamic warm-up the right way?

There is no “right” or “wrong” way to warm up. However, most lifters like to approach warm-ups from general to specific. General total body movements to specific small muscles that need focus. If you want a complete total body warm-up that you don’t have to plan out, check out my guided total body warm-up here.