Back in the day, my warm-ups were a mess.
I’d swing my arms around a bit, do a couple of random bodyweight squats, maybe even some banded walks because someone said it “activated” my glutes…
… then I’d go straight into my working sets like I was ready to lift heavy.
Spoiler: I wasn’t. And it showed because my first few working sets always felt horrible. I didn’t realize at the time, but I was wasting energy on nonsense instead of actually preparing to lift properly.
If your first couple of working sets aren’t your strongest, you’ve probably stuffed something up in your warm-up.
Because those first couple of working sets is your best shot to move the most weight, with the best technique, before fatigue kicks in. If you’re not hitting hard on those first couple of sets, you’re leaving results on the table.
Now, I know most people think warming up means breaking a sweat or doing a heap of reps until they feel “activated.” But that’s not it. That’s just getting tired before the real work starts.
The goal of warming up isn’t to feel the burn. It’s to get your muscles firing fast and hard.
Here’s how I teach it inside the Strong Not Skinny Inner Circle…
For your first exercise, pick a light weight, around 50-60% of your top set, and do 8-10 smooth, controlled reps. You’re not rushing. You’re just checking your groove, finding your coordination.
Then, for your next warm up, bump the weight up to 70-80% and do 5-8 reps. Then, if you think you need another warm up, go to 90% and do 2-4 reps.
The goal here is to feel explosive without feeling tired. You want to prime those big muscle fibers to switch on when it counts.
That’s it.
No endless pump sets. No lunge-curl hybrids. Just a smart, simple warm-up that gets you strong from the very first set.
Oh by the way, whenever you’re ready, here’s 3 more ways I can help you:
1. Grab a free copy of my new book – Lower Body Workouts for Women
If you’ve been doing random exercises at the gym without a plan, this is for you. Steal one of my favourite workout templates to build strong and toned legs! Click here to grab your free copy.
2. Join Our Strong Not Skinny Program
I’m putting together a new Strong Not Skinny group at the end of this month… stay tuned for details. If you’d like me to create a brand-new strength program for you each month so you can build strength and muscle, join our WAITLIST HERE, and I’ll give you first access before spots open to the public.
3. Learn more tips and tricks on any one of my socials below:
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