Warm Up Strong. Lift Strong.

Lifting like a weightlifter isn’t just about putting a barbell overhead; it’s about how well you can move before you even grab the bar. If you are not able to be STRONG, STABLE, and SOLID in your positions, not only will your movement suffer, but your body will not respond the way it should.

Warming up should not be optional. It is essential.

The warm-up

A proper warm-up primes your body and your mind. It activates the nervous system, gets blood flowing, opens up your joints, and reinforces the movement patterns we need to hit in every lift, snatch, clean, jerk, squats, pulls, and all assistance exercises. Don’t think of warming up as simply prep—it is part of your training. Every session should begin with intention: to prepare your body to its potential and to be intentional with your movement, from the first rep to the last.

Stretching 

I used to think stretching was only for people who were immobile or old, to help them become more flexible. However, it's not just about being more flexible—it’s about recognizing both your mobility and your mobility limitations. It's about owning up to your weaknesses and working on them. Tight hips? Stiff shoulders? Poor ankle dorsiflexion? Those issues show up real fast when you’re at the bottom of a snatch or trying to stabilize a heavy jerk. Dynamic stretching before you lift and static work after enables you to be purposeful and maintain access to solid, repeatable positions—without pain, hesitation, or compensation.

I believe the most IMPORTANT thing about warming up is that having a good routine can help prevent injury.

When your muscles and joints aren’t warmed up, they’re more prone to strain, tears, or breakdown, especially in a sport as dynamic and technical as Olympic Weightlifting. A proper warm-up increases muscle elasticity, synovial joint lubrication, and even mind-muscle coordination, meaning you’re more prepared to react, stabilize, and control how you move the bar under load.

I get it, you’re eager to get to the barbell, to get to your working sets, to “go heavy”, or go after a PR. But here’s what I remind every athlete I coach - if you DO NOT have time to warm up, you DO NOT have time to train. PERIOD. 

We want to warm up strong to lift strong. Make warming up and mobility a priority, or your progress will stall, you will be more prone to injury, and you will often miss. You aren’t setting yourself up for success in your training session.

If you want to be consistent and confident, and you want to continue to improve in the Olympic lifts, every detail matters—especially the ones that happen before you even take your first lift.

My favourite warm-ups

Use these as a solid foundation before Olympic lifting sessions, and I assure you, your lifts will be optimized:

General Activation (5–7 min):

• Bike, row or Jump Rope: 3–5 min to raise body temp
• World’s Greatest Stretch: 3 reps/side
• Leg Swings (front/back + side/side): 10 each direction

Dynamic Mobility (5–8 min):

• PVC Pass-Throughs: 3 x 10
• Thread the Needle: 30-60
• Banded Hip Flexor Stretch: 2 x 30 sec/side
• Overhead Squat with PVC or empty bar: 2 x 10
• Scapular Push-Ups: 2 x 10
• Squat to Goodmorning 2 x 10 (weightless)
• 90 to 90 2 x 30-60
• Alternating Frog Rotation 2 x 30-60
• T-Hip Opener 2x 5-10 per side

Post-Session Static Stretch Suggestions:

• Couch Stretch (quads/hip flexors): 2 x 30–60 sec/side
• Wall Lat Stretch (shoulders/lats): 2 x 30 sec
• Pigeon Pose (hips): 2 x 30 sec/side
• Calf Stretch on Plate or Wall: 2 x 30 sec/side
• Supine Belted Hamstring Stretch (Lying down) 2 x 30-60 per side
• Prone or Standing Quad Stretch 2 x 20-30 per side

So remember, warm up, train smart and move well. 

Be patient with the work it takes to move like an Olympic Weightlifter—and focus on the little things. LITTLE by LITTLE becomes a lot.

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