Skip Snap City—6 Warm-Up Secrets for Bigger Lifts

One thing that often goes overlooked in training is the importance of a proper warm-up.1

Now I know that telling people to warm up is like telling them to eat their vegetables but here’s the difference: eating broccoli won’t increase your bench and save you from snap city.

1. Dynamic over Static

Static stretching is for post-session cooldowns. Before you lift, warm-up with movement:2, 10

Cold muscles = cold rubber bands. Overstretch them and they might snap.3

Temporary flexibility spike. Stretch too much, too soon, and you’ll jack your joint angles out of their safe range.2

2. 10-Minute Cardio Primer

Research shows 10 minutes of low-intensity steady-state cardio (treadmill walk, slow bike) cuts injury risk and raises baseline body temp.1

3. Lift Specific Dynamic Movement

Dynamic movements will safely increase ROM and help with stiffness. 4

Here’s a non comprehensive list of suggestions:

Lower body:
Leg swings
Counterbalance squat with light weight
Kettle bell swings

Upper Body:
PVC pipe shoulder warmup
Dead hang to pullup
Banded External rotation
Banded Internal Rotation
Light banded or dumbbell Y, T, W Raises
Pushups

“Yeah ok bro, you said this was going to help me increase my bench?”

A proper warm-up will prime your CNS and increase motor unit recruitment leading to more power output. This can be achieved through isometrics & proper pre-set warm-ups. 5

4. CNS Priming with Isometrics

Why it matters:
Isometric holds fire up extra motor units in the exact force-direction you’re about to use—without loading the bar. That means your CNS is dialed in, so your very first working rep recruits more fibers and feels stronger.5

Coaches like Christian Thibaudeau, Louie Simmons, and Cal Dietz all program overcoming-isometrics to ignite motor-unit recruitment before heavy sets.

How to do it:

Bench Pattern — “Pin Press Lock-Out”

Set-up : In a power rack, slide an unloaded barbell onto the lower safeties. Add a second set of pins 5–7 cm (2–3 in) above your usual sticking point.

Drive : Lie on the bench, unrack from the lower pins, then press upward as if you’re trying to punch straight through the top pins. Hold for 5-8 seconds at all-out effort (≈ 90 % max).

Why it works : Overcoming a fixed barrier maximally recruits chest, triceps, and anterior-delt motor units right where most lifters stall, priming your working sets.

Row Pattern — “Iso Strap Row”

Set-up : Loop a non-stretch strap or heavy chain around a rack post at chest height. Sit tall (seated row) or hinge forward (bent-over stance).

Drive : Grip both handles and row hard—think “rip the post out of the floor.” Keep the chest tall and scapulae locked. Hold 5-8 seconds.

Why it works : Max-tension horizontal pulling fires lats, rhomboids, and forearm flexors without joint shear, giving you a neural boost before pull-ups, barbell rows, or cable rows.

Squat Pattern — “Back-Squat Into Pins”

Set-up : Place the bar on your back while it rests on lower safety pins just below parallel. Position a second set of pins 5-10 cm (2-4 in) higher.

Drive : Brace your core, then push the bar into the upper pins as if to stand up through them. Maintain full-body tension for 5-8 seconds before carefully racking.

Why it works : Hip- and knee-extension intent at maximal effort super-charges quad, glute, and core activation, enhancing power for the loaded squat sets that follow.

Flow into warm-ups:
Rest 15–30 seconds, then move directly into your first barbell warm-up set while your CNS is still primed and motor units are firing at full tilt.

5. Smart Warm-Up Sets

Nothing replaces going through the movement. Warm-up sets are important not just for getting the muscles themselves warm but for engaging your CNS and getting used to the movement pattern before a heavy lift.6

Compounds (Squat, Bench, Deadlift): 3–4 sets, from empty bar to ~90% working weight. Rest 90 sec–3 min before your top set.

Accessories: 1 set at ~60%, then 90 sec rest before each working set.

6. Elevate Your Body Temperature

The science behind the heat:

Lowered viscosity: Warm fibers slide past each other with less resistance → smoother lifts & less joint wear.3

Faster biochemistry: Every +1 °C speeds up enzyme reactions powering contraction & recovery → quicker rep resets.8

Quicker nerve signals: Heat boosts nerve conduction velocity → muscles fire faster and lock in tighter.7

How to generate heat pre-lift:

Light cardio: Hit the treadmill or bike at 2/10 effort—just enough to break a sweat.

Slip on a pump cover or hoodie: Our Pump Cover and hoodie traps heat in your working muscles throughout your warm-up drills.

Take Edge of Insanity: Load your stack with thermogenic power—Edge of Insanity combines Alpha Yohimbine and Yohimbine HCl to raise body temperature, sharpen focus, and torch fat.9

This weekend only: 30% Off Black Ice flavor Edge of Insanity

 

References

  1. Ding L, Luo J, Smith DM, et al. Effectiveness of Warm-Up Intervention Programs to Prevent Sports Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):6204. PubMed
  2. Kay AD, Blazevich AJ. Effect of Acute Static Stretch on Maximal Muscle Performance: A Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012;44(1):154-164. PubMed
  3. Rodrigues P, Trajano GS, Stewart IB, Minett GM. Potential Role of Passively Increased Muscle Temperature on Contractile Function. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2022;122:2153-2162. PMC
  4. Mizuno T, Matsumoto M, Umemura Y. Dynamic Stretching Has Sustained Effects on Range of Motion and Passive Stiffness. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(5):1285-1294. PMC
  5. Eon P, Jubeau M, Cattagni T, et al. Post-Activation Potentiation After Isometric Contractions Is Strongly Related to Contraction Intensity. Exp Physiol. 2024;109(3):415-426. PMC
  6. Viveiros L, Gioia K, Nasser I, et al. High-Load and Low-Volume Warm-Up Increases Performance in a Resistance-Training Session. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024;40(1):1487-1491. PubMed
  7. Schwartz MS, Simon RP. The Non-Linear Relationship Between Nerve Conduction Velocity and Temperature. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1980;43:782-789. PMC
  8. Solubility of Things. Temperature-Coefficient (Q10): Definition and Calculations. 2023. Link
  9. Kucio C, Jonderko K, Piskorska D. Does Yohimbine Act as a Slimming Drug? Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-556. PubMed
  10. Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD, McHugh MP. Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Muscle Strength and Power. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016;41(1):1-11. PMC
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