How much thought have you put into nailing your warm-up? Likely a lot, given it’s a topic that’s regularly touted as the make-or-break of a good workout.
We agree that you shouldn’t walk into the gym and jump straight into your max barbell deadlift without so much as a side bend stretch. But is working on the perfect warm-up a false fitness promise?
Well, yes, according to a new study. Published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, the researchers aimed to see whether traditionally used warm-ups like foam rolling and stretching were better than any other type of warm-up for improving flexibility and reducing stiffness ahead of training.
The Study
Previous studies have shown that improvements in range of motion in stretching and foam rolling are down to improved flow of synovial fluid that reduces joint friction, better ability to contract a muscle, reduced stiffness, and improved viscosity.
But researchers noted these effects are not exclusive to foam rolling and stretching. Instead, they’re often the side effect of anything that increases muscle temperature.
To test whether generic warm-ups work as effectively as traditional stretching and foam rolling exercises, they compared 38 studies that looked at how a range of activities impacted a range of motion and flexibility, including walking, cycling, calisthenics, strength training, electrical stimulation, heat package passive warm-ups, and cryotherapy.
The Results
There was no difference between improvements in the effects of warm-ups, regardless of whether stretching, foam rolling or other activities were performed.
- There was no difference in range of motion outcomes
- There was no difference in stiffness
- There was no difference in passive peak torque (rotational force)
- No exercise or movement is required to induce performance improvements
- Using passive heating, such as hot baths, improved range of motion
What This Means For Us
If you want to improve your flexibility or reduce stiffness, you don’t need to exclusively stretch or foam roll. In fact, anything like jumping on a bike, going for a walk, or doing some light strength training can be more effective options, as they warm up the whole body at once, rather than requiring each individual muscle to be worked.
That’s good news for those who are time-poor or overthink their pre-training routine. If you spend 20 minutes on a dedicated stretch sequence before you touch a dumbbell, you might be able to cut down the time you spend in the gym by switching up your warm-up for a five-minute cycle on an exercise bike.
‘When the importance of time economics is taken into consideration, time-saving general warm-up routines (eg, dynamic exercises or cycling) may be preferred in practice,’ said researchers.
This isn’t to dump on foam rollers or stretching practices if they work for you. The researchers made a point of saying these can be valuable techniques; they’re just not the only options for someone who wants to prime their body for exercise.
The Bottom Line
Do enough of whatever type of movement is going to get you warm enough to enjoy a productive work out, free from injury.
‘Don’t sweat the small stuff if it’s going to paralyse you from doing the big stuff,’ adds Men’s Health’s fitness director Andrew Tracey. ‘If you’re tight on time, do enough to optimise your warm-up and ensure you won’t get injured. But don’t prioritise warming up over working out, if it means you never end up doing the real work.’
