7 Warm-Up Mistakes (& How to Fix Them)

You put your shoes on, made it to the gym, and are ready to crush your workout… but if your warm-up is rushed, or done wrong, you could be slowing yourself down before you even begin. Warming up is the key to better performance and injury prevention.  A proper warm-up increases blood flow, improves tissue extensibility, and increases peak muscle performance. 

Here are the most common mistakes we see - and how to fix them. 

Mistake #1: Skipping the Warm-Up

Skipping a warm up all together sets your body up for problems.  When muscles and tendons aren’t warm, they are less flexible/extensible which, when stressed too quickly can result in strains, pulls, or even tearing.  A warm-up also increases blood flow, raises core temperature, and “wakes up” your nervous system improving reaction time. 

Quick Fix: add a 5-10 minute warm-up to each workout session.

Mistake #2: Stretching Instead of Warming Up

When considering a warm-up, the exercises chosen should be dynamic instead of static.  Static stretching (ex: reaching for your toes and staying there) has its time and place - primarily in a cooldown vs. a warm-up.  While it feels good, doing this before activity can actually reduce performance. Here’s why: 

• Temporary Muscle Weakness: studies show decreases in strength, power, and even speed immediately following static stretching - long holds can reduce a muscle’s ability to contract forcefully.
  
  
  
  

• Reduced Elastic Recoil: muscles & tendons are like rubber bands, stretching them when cold results in loss of that “spring” causing slower and less explosive movements 

• Poor Movement Prep: static stretching doesn’t raise your heart rate, increase blood flow, or improve mobility in the same capacity dynamic drills do.  You may feel loose by your body is not ready to perform

Quick Fix: add dynamic drills - leg swings, skipping, lunges, inchworms 

Mistake #3: Going Too Hard, Too Fast

Going too hard, too fast at the start of a workout is like flooring the gas pedal on a cold engine. Without a gradual build-up, your heart rate spikes, your muscles and joints are stressed before they’re ready, and you burn through energy you’ll need later. A proper warm-up eases your body into movement—raising your temperature, increasing blood flow, and activating key muscles—so that by the time the real work begins, you’re primed for stronger, safer, and more efficient performance.

Quick Fix: utilize a gradual ramp-up - double limb → single limb, walking → jogging → running

Mistake #4: One-Size-Fits-All Warm-Ups

Warm-ups should also change for specific sports / activities.  Generic routines, while better than no warm up, do not properly prepare your body for the differing movement patterns of each sport/activity.   Consider how different golf and soccer look when in practice, so why would the warm-ups look the same? 

Quick Fix: tailor warm-up to sport/activity - example: rotational movements for golf, tennis, pickleball

Mistake #5: Ignoring Muscle Activation

Most people focus on the “big movers” (i.e. quads, hamstrings, pecs) in a warm-up, but it’s the smaller stabilizer muscles (i.e. glutes, core, rotator cuff) that keep your body moving most efficiently and safely.  If these muscles aren’t properly warmed up before activity, your other muscles will subconsciously overuse other muscles, affecting your form, decreasing power and increasing your risk of injury. 

Quick Fix: add 1–2 activation drills - mini-band walks for glutes, planks for core, or scap squeezes for shoulder

Mistake #6: Rushing Through the Motions

Speed ≠ effectiveness. As a way to “check it off” their list, many athletes rush through their warm ups.  However, in doing this, sacrifices are made to proper form, range of motion, and muscle activation.  As such, the body isn’t prepared for the demands of training/competition, performance is limited, and risk of injury increases. 

Quick Fix: focus on form and control - be slow and deliberate in what you’re doing

Mistake #7: Not Adjusting for You

Your exercise routine is personalized to you; so should your warm-up.  There are many factors that require adjustments to your warm up including age and injury history. 

Quick Fix: personalize your warm-up.  Whether you have a previously injured area that needs more focus, or something “just feels tighter” that day, listen to your body and adjust based on the activity you plan on engaging in.  

Warming up doesn’t take long, it just takes the right approach. 

If pain or tightness continues to hold you back–even after a warm-up–book an evaluation with our team & we’ll get you moving your best