Warming up

[Ash]

What do you guys do to warm up before getting stuck into your work sets?

I usually do some stretching and shoulder loosening movements before I get into my first sets - which start off very light before I slowly up the weights.

Any good suggestions for injury prevention?

[Growth]

I only do a couple of light sets of the first exercise i am going to do, i dont do any streching at all. Ive have found personally that warm up sets and stretching dont make any difference, i still do a couple sets anyway though.

[jono]

i go 3,4,5 etc warmups on my 1st ex for that muscle.. sometime si do warmups on other ex depends how i feel

[Spitterkat]

5 mins aerobic activity

some light passive stretching

specific warmup sets on a given exercise (when moving between exercises, if that particular muscle group has been exercised previously, less warm up sets.)

[Brock]

Walking to the gym is my warm up.

Once I'm at the gym I go straight to weights, legs 1st.

[Varven]

I was told stretching A LOT before weights is bad.

Reason being.. once expanded.. they can create less force when contracting. Thus reserve stretching to post workout.

I still do a limited amount of stretching.

Warm up is usually one set of 40% of working weight, one set of 75% of working weight.. and then work sets.

Some parts like legs Ill warm up more cause of my knee injury.

But after the first warm up.. i wont care about warming up on the following excercises.

BUT for following excercises.. i will try one set a lower weight to get in the groove.. for instance after pressing a bar if u suddenly go to dbs.. co-ordination takes a few reps to get the right form.

[BlueCollarLifter]

I wouldn't stretch a cold muscle.. and I've also read intense stretching before weights can lessen muscle contraction.

Prior to any weights I just stick to cardio type machines to get the blood flowing till im on a brink of a lite sweat.. 15min approx..preferbaly on treadmills or rowing machines..

I do a very light warmup set(s) before any muscle group gets its first working set. Then I normally pyramid for the rest of the workout. I find too many warmup sets are too taxing for the final set.

On a different note:

I have a niggly shoulder myself..rotator cuff feels funny.. currently doing this excercise: http://www.intensemuscle.com/showthread.php?t=6997

I've only done it twice and it seems to be working...I prefer using a towel (beach towel) to start off with..