Before training

Don’t spend an hour on mobility and flexibility drills before your training session, you should be more concerned with the actual training session itself. Do enough to make you move well.

Again, do enough to make you move well.

Here’s an example of a warm up sequence to do before a typical powerlifting session (but can naturally be applied to any training). It should take you roughly 5-10 minutes and not more. Save the more intense stretching for after the session or another day.

Perform the following for the upper body:

• Shoulder dislocate. 2-3 sets, perhaps 5-10 reps per set.
• Thoracic extension. Work up and down the upper back.

Perform the following for the lower body:

• Leg swing, front to back. Perhaps 10 reps per leg.
• Leg swing, side to side. Perhaps 10 reps per leg.
• Floor squat -> Hip flexor stretch -> Pretzel. Move from one to the next in sequence. Each stretch could last 10-20 seconds. Perhaps repeat for a total of 2-3 times.

Don’t push it in floor squats, hip flexor stretches or pretzels. Save it for any serious stretching you might do after your training or in a separate session. Too much static stretching before training will make you weaker due to muscle fatigue. You can all say it with me now: just do enough to make you move well.

If the above 5-10 minutes are too much for your taste, try the following even briefer sequence:

• Shoulder dislocate. 2-3 sets, perhaps 5-10 reps per set.
• Floor squat -> Cat & cow -> Pretzel. Move from one to the next in sequence. Each stretch could last perhaps 10-20 seconds. Don’t put much effort into them. Perhaps repeat for a total of 2-3 times.

The above are just examples, feel free to experiment.