| When you ask the majority of fighters what | | | | people have spent so much time sitting on |
| they do for a warm-up before training, most | | | | them, they get sleepy and lazy and need to be |
| will say they do some type of stretching, | | | | woken up. If you have inhibited glutes, you |
| usually for tight areas like the hamstrings | | | | may notice during lunges that your knee will |
| and groin. But research shows that a dynamic | | | | cave in (valgus knee). This is a sign of |
| warm-up is far superior for performance and | | | | glute weakness/inhibition. To activate the |
| injury prevention when compared to static | | | | glutes before doing an exercise like lunges, |
| stretching. So what exercises should a | | | | you can do hip extensions. Simply lie on your |
| mixed-martial artist warm-up for optimum | | | | back with your knees bent and feet flat on |
| performance and injury prevention? | | | | the floor, squeeze your butt cheeks together |
| | | | and raise your hips. Hold for 4 seconds, |
| Well, there are a few general criteria that, | | | | repeat 8 times. |
| when included, will result in maximum | | | | |
| performance while decreasing the risk of | | | | 4) The routine should increase the |
| injury. | | | | heart-rate, body temperature, and breathing |
| | | | rate gradually to a comfortable level. In |
| 1) Movements should be included for the | | | | order to do this, you'll have to move quickly |
| muscles that are going to be used during the | | | | from one exercise to the next, which means |
| training session. If you're doing the warm-up | | | | you want to know exactly what to do before |
| before a strength training session where | | | | you get started. Like anything, if you fail |
| you'll be starting off with bench press, | | | | to plan, then plan to fail. So come up with a |
| you'll need to warm-up the pecs, triceps, | | | | routine before you get to the gym. |
| deltoids, serratus anterior, and lats. | | | | |
| | | | So in putting this together, you could do |
| 2) Movements should work the muscles through | | | | something very simple such as: |
| a complete range of motion. The dynamic | | | | |
| warm-up will increase your mobility if you do | | | | 20 jumping jacks |
| all exercises to the end ranges of motion. | | | | |
| For example, if you're doing basic bodyweight | | | | 10 hip extensions |
| squats, you'll want to squat right down, | | | | |
| touching your butt to your heels if you can. | | | | 10 squats |
| Doing so will help to keep your muscles, | | | | |
| tendons, and ligaments from tightening up and | | | | 10 pushups |
| shortening. | | | | |
| | | | 10 lunges |
| 3) Muscle activation exercises should be | | | | |
| included for muscles that are commonly | | | | Repeat 2 to 3 times and you've got yourself a |
| inhibited. One muscle group that is often | | | | decent warm-up. |
| inhibited is the glutes. Because a lot of | | | | |