Coming off your series, which was great, I have a question. How should you attack warm-ups?
-Joe
Hello Joe,
Well what I am assuming your talking about is the weight you should warm-up with. This being said I have created a spread sheet, which if you would like I will email to you(garagegymjunkie@gmail.com). The spread sheet you see is the way I warm-up and can be adjusted for any one person. The sheet first has you input the reps for each set. The set you use is normally between 6 and 10, but for less experienced lifters should be more and for more experience should be less. Next on the sheet is the percentages the way I learned It is that you should warm-up with increments on the 5% or 10%. Finally comes the time, with any change in this effects your lifting schedule.
The function of the warm-up room is to provide a facility where the competitors can adequately prepare for the performance on the competition platform. In a session with a large number of lifters, the lifters will outnumber the available bars and platforms. Since lifters need to warm-up in accordance with the progression of the competition bar, everyone does not need to be in the weight room at the same time. This concept needs to be understood by all parties involved.
It's also not uncommon at local meets to have novices, masters and a couple of national level competitors all in the same session. Furthermore it's also not unusual to have males and females in the same session. All of these factors make the importance of good warm-up room etiquette all the more important.
The warm-up area can often require careful management of several lifters with bare equipment essentials. Etiquette makes things go more smoothly.
Focal Points: In real weightlifting gyms the world over, lifters make use of focal points while lifting and so it is considered boorish to walk through a lifter's line of vision when he or she is preparing to and performing a lift. The same holds true for the warm-up room. Cross through someone's line of vision at critical junctures and we know that you haven't had a proper weightlifting upbringing.
Share the loading: When two or more lifters are sharing the same platform it is common to share the task of changing the weights on the bar with each lifter, the one just finishing and the one following, to load one end of the bar. Coaches may also be involved in the loading in the warm-up room. If you neglect to load your end, it's a pretty good show of bad manners.
Don't bogart the 10 bumps: Some stronger lifters who are out of the loop like to start early and keep adding 10 bumpers to the bar rather than exchange them for 20's and 25's. This deprives the lighter lifters from using them and creates an awkward situation at best.
Don't camp out: Some lifters love to monopolize and show-off in the warm-up. They start early, take too many warm-ups and even lift heavier weights than they attempt in competition. They're in the warm-up before the lesser lifters and monopolize a single platform and as much equipment as possible. Clowns!
Ask Before You Borrow: Just because a plate is lying on a platform, unused, doesn't mean that it might not be used very soon. If you need to borrow it, ask the lifters on the platform if you can. This is just common courtesy. Yes, and remember to return it when you're finished!
Don't camp out in the staging area: Some meet directors thoughtfully provide some seats immediately adjacent to the competition platform for lifters who are "on deck" or "in the hole". If you're not one of them, don't occupy those seats. Coaches, friends and well-wishers shouldn't either.
Get in and get out: If you don't need to spend any more time in the warm-up than is necessary leave it to the people who are warming up. I consider it the job of the coach to manage his or her athletes' warm-ups, so the responsibility really lies with the coach. Most coaches I know are considerate and try not to create circumstances that might inhibit others.
I hope this list of transgressions raises the consciousness of newbie coaches and athletes regarding these issues. That will help make the competitive experience all the more enjoyable and efficient for all of us.
Additional Coaching articles can be found at: www.takanoathletics.com
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As many you do not know I do except articles and write ups from my readers. The author of this article is Melanie Bowen on the topic of exercise and how it can benefit cancer patients. She states that she recently has been researching and writing about how staying physically fit can be extremely beneficial to people going through cancer treatments. Exercise can be a conduit for healing of many different diseases (including cancer) by giving back energy levels, reducing stress, creating better blood flow, etc..
Enjoy The Reading, The Garage Gym Junkie
Embracing Exercise to Stay Strong While Going Through Cancer
Treatments
Creating a fun and enjoyable workout routine for cancer patients
is a positive way to promote overall better health. There are a few
simple things people can do to make lifestyle changes to increase their odds of
successfully battling cancer. Switching diets to include more fresh
vegetables, fruits and whole grains will provide added energy for a person to
begin taking up a mild fitness schedule. An online article listed on the Oncology Nursing Society states
that exercise is helpful
management tool for people who are fighting cancer. Socializing while
working out is another great thing a person can do to keep positive spirits and
to embrace an aggressive stance to battling the disease. When people are
overcome with depression and anxiety, it can be easy to give up. This is
why a great support system and workout partners are so vital in encouraging and
supporting a person to keep moving forward in treatments and towards recovery.
Fitness schedules for cancer patients often differ dramatically
from fitness schedules for people who are not challenged with a life-threatening
disease. If a person is diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, it will be necessary to
create a workout schedule that is light on cardio. Each individual and
diagnosis will differ, and therefore each workout regimen should be created
with the consultation of a doctor.
Over time, a workout plan may be slowly increased in small
increments as the patient grows stronger physically and more capable of working
out for longer periods of time. Yoga and cardio workout combinations will
work together to improve physical strength, promote a healthier heart and to
relieve stress and anxiety. Keeping a fitness routine varied and
interesting is one of the biggest things a person can do to maintain motivation
and inspiration. Interesting and enjoyable workout schedules help a cancer
patient to remain as active as possible while going through endless cancer treatments.
Many people grow weary of doing the same workout every week.
Alternating activities from bicycling, using an elliptical, dancing,
yoga, walking and swimming will help to inspire cancer patients to stay
committed to growing stronger each week. It is often common for people to
experience a lack of motivation when it comes to getting fit, especially for
cancer patients who are struggling with extreme pain or a major depletion of
energy levels. However, each small activity will help to improve the person’s
quality of life along with a long list of physical benefits. To name a few,
working out can help increase oxygen flow throughout the body, which can
improve organ function and immune function. Furthermore, exercise also induces
the release of endorphins throughout the body, which improves mood and reduces
the occurrence of depression in cancer patients.
Author: Melanie Bowen
Melanie is currently a Master's student with a passion that stems from her grandmother's cancer diagnosis. She often highlights the great benefits of alternative nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness.
Talk To Me Garage Gym Junkie, Why whenever I hear of you working out why do stop after one PR? -Anonymous
Thank you for the question. The reason I walk away and tell my students to walk away is that if you hit a PR then have gained confidence. This is even if you have more in the tank, because if you have more in the tank the next time you lift you'll hit another pr, and hence more confidence.
The thing I say to my students is "Many small gains equal one big gain."
Example: If you start at 0kg and add 2kg a week for year, at the end of the year you will be lifting 104kg. If you are thinking about pounds that is well over 200lbs in added weight in one year. Garage Gym Junkie Email your questions, pictures, and videos to GarageGymJunkie@gmail.com or Facebook at Joshua Biernacki.
Garage Gym Junkie, Why every time you talk to do you ask me if I have recovered fully? I feel I am ready to go three or four times a day, but you stress that though volume does create success and with that proper recovery is needed. KB Thank You KB, I believe in under recovery not over training. In that you must remember every individual is different in the type of recovery and time they need. Think of Rich Froning he works out multiple times a day and is fine, yet if you look at a beginner the individual could not do the same. In fact that beginner would end up hurting himself or herself.
Types of Recovery
-Non Active Recovery -Active Recovery
Many people practice non-active recovery, which means that you are not being active over the day. I stress that many people need this at least once a week. I see many individuals come in and over stress themselves thinking they need to train every day, and instead if becoming better they just stop showing up. They stop showing up because they feel over worked.
Active Recovery I stress this to many people especially when you have three or four days off in a week. Active recovery requires you to get active for a half hour or more. Some of my favorite examples is a game of basketball, a 5k row, a walk, or going bowling. All it requires is that you get active for some period of time. Garage Gym Junkie Remember to submit your photos and questions to Garagegymjunkie@gmail.com
