Dr Sam Spinelli23 April 2020

How To Design Your Perfect Warmup - Dr Sam Spinelli - #162

1Frameworks

12Insights

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Frameworks in this episode

Peak Performance6 steps

The Three-Bucket Warm-Up Design

Design any warm-up around three jobs: get warm, open the ranges, prime the nerves.

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 3

Myth Buster09:00

Does static stretching before training hurt performance?

The research showing static stretching kills performance came from unrealistic protocols like a one-minute max-effort stretch straight into a max jump. If you stretch hard then move around for a minute, the performance drop disappears, but you also gain nothing. Full-range lifting builds range of motion better.

The performance-killing studies used max stretches straight into max output
Walk around after and the performance deficit vanishes, but so does any benefit
Lifting through a full range of motion builds range better than stretching
Spinelli is not against it, but most people neither enjoy it nor need it

“no one really like doesn't max effort hamstring stretch and then tries to immediately go into a max vertical jump real life”
Sam Spinelli · 09:30

#static-stretching#mobility#myth

Myth Buster28:30

PNF stretching: fancy jargon for nothing special

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation sounds impressive with terms like reciprocal inhibition, but Spinelli argues it is largely the same stimulus you get from lifting weights. He frames the rehab and physio world's tendency to dress simple things in convoluted terminology as expertise signalling.

PNF is putting yourself in a stretch then contracting to stretch further
The impressive terminology mostly signals technical expertise, not benefit
Much of the effect is the same as what lifting weights already provides
Complexity is often used to imply something works better than it does

“the terminologies make it sound cool”
Sam Spinelli · 29:00

#pnf#physio#myth

Myth Buster37:30

A deadlift is not just a heavy clean setup

Many CrossFitters confuse deadlift and weightlifting mechanics. A true deadlift keeps the legs more extended and hinges hard at the hips for deep hip flexion, whereas weightlifters set up with knees forward in a more squatting position to receive the bar at speed. Using the pull setup to deadlift heavy is the wrong position.

A strong deadlift hinges at the hips with legs more extended, not squatting the weight
Weightlifters set up knees-forward to launch and receive the bar, not to max the pull
Confusing the two makes people stay too upright at the bottom of a deadlift
The pull-style setup is not where to lift maximal deadlift weight

“if someone's trying to legitimately deal with the big weight and be very strong in that position that's not the position to do it from”
Sam Spinelli · 38:00

#deadlift#weightlifting#mechanics#myth

Explainer· 5

Explainer03:00

Why getting physically warm actually works

Spinelli explains the physiology behind warming up. A higher body temperature speeds metabolism so bodily reactions happen faster, improves nerve conduction velocity for reactive movements, and changes the viscoelastic properties of muscle and fascia so fluids flow more freely and you feel looser.

Higher temperature expedites metabolic reactions in the body
Warming improves nerve conduction velocity for reactive tasks
Viscoelastic properties of tissue let fluids flow more freely when warm
Elite sprinters warm slowly and at length to get warm without burning energy

“when we have an increase in our body temperature we actually have a faster ability to have metabolism occur”
Sam Spinelli · 03:00

#physiology#warm-up#performance

Explainer27:00

Eccentric loaded stretches beat passive stretching for range

Rather than passive holds, Spinelli favours resistance-based stretching done slowly into a range, called eccentric motion. Research supports eccentric loading before exercise to enhance range of motion, as in a supine pullover lowering a light weight overhead or a slow, paused deep calf raise off a step.

Slow lowering under load is eccentric motion and enhances range before exercise
Supine pullover with a light dumbbell or dowel opens overhead range
A deep calf raise lowered over three to four seconds improves ankle range
Done steadily over time these build lasting mobility and control

“if we go really slow into it that's called eccentric motion and we've got some good research on different motions like this showing that it…”
Sam Spinelli · 27:00

#eccentric#mobility#range-of-motion

Explainer41:30

Pull your shoulders down, not back, to deadlift

Spinelli explains the physics of the lat setup in a deadlift. Pulling your shoulder blades back drops your chest and lengthens the distance the bar must travel, while pulling them down shortens that distance and increases lat activation, which also helps keep the bar close and stabilises the spine.

Shoulders back moves the chest closer to the floor and lengthens the pull
Shoulders down shortens the relative bar path
Driving shoulders down increases lat activation, pulling back does not
Lats attach into the spine, adding stability under load

“for everyone demo thing don't pull your shoulder blades back pull them down”
Sam Spinelli · 41:30

#deadlift#lats#technique

Explainer42:30

Front-rack wrist pain is really a shoulder rotation problem

People who complain of wrist discomfort in the front rack usually lack shoulder external rotation, forcing the wrist to extend hard to compensate. Improve external rotation and the wrist can stay straighter, as seen in elite lifters like Klokov who rack with an almost straight wrist.

Wrist discomfort in the front rack stems from poor shoulder external rotation
Good external rotators keep a near-straight, strong wrist
A supine drill bringing knuckles to the ground, then progressing off a plate, builds it
The fix targets the shoulder, not the wrist itself

“for people that usually don't complain about it they usually have pretty good shoulder external rotation”
Sam Spinelli · 42:30

#front-rack#shoulder#external-rotation#clean

Explainer45:30

Why big lifters set up with knees turned out

Lifters like Klokov set up with knees and feet turned wide because limited hip internal rotation makes it hard to keep the knees pointing straight forward. Turning the feet out works around that limitation, a pattern especially common in larger males and certain Eastern European lifters.

Limited hip internal rotation makes a knees-forward bottom position hard
Turning knees and feet out is a workaround for that limitation
The trait is common in larger males and many Russian and Ukrainian lifters
Body structure, not just choice, drives these squat and pull positions

“for individuals who have a limited hip internal rotation it's hard to maintain your knees directly forward”
Sam Spinelli · 45:30

#hip-rotation#weightlifting#anatomy

Tool· 1

Tool38:30

The doorway supine drill for deep-hip deadlift range

To warm up deep hip flexion for deadlifting, lie on your back with one leg extended up a rig or doorway, both legs up to start, then lower the other leg toward the floor while keeping the raised leg straight and your back pressed down. Move closer to the rig over time as range improves.

Keep the raised leg locked straight, do not let it bend
Press your back into the ground rather than letting it arch
Lower slowly over three to four seconds with a pause at the bottom
Progress by moving your butt closer to the rig; advance by coming off it for a trunk challenge

“your goal is to be able to lower down towards the ground while keeping your leg straight”
Sam Spinelli · 39:00

#deadlift#hamstrings#hip-mobility#drill

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway22:30

Cardio before lifting is a low priority, not a rule

Whether to jump on a bike or rower first comes down to time and specificity. If you are doing an ERG or running workout, warm up on that modality. But for lifting, dynamic drills already get you warm, so dedicated cardio is a lower priority unless you have spare time.

Warm up on the modality you will train: ERG for ERG work, running for runs
For lifting, dynamic movement gets you warm without separate cardio
CrossFitters training 90+ minutes have time for a five-minute cardio piece
Dedicated cardio is a low priority, not a bad thing

“if you're doing lifting if you're doing a lot of other things I'm gonna put less of a priority on that”
Sam Spinelli · 23:30

#cardio#warm-up#specificity

Takeaway34:30

Even runners have shockingly weak calves

As a physio working with runners and triathletes, Spinelli finds that when he makes people do genuinely good-quality calf raises they are often shocked at how weak they are, even people who use their calves constantly. Improving deep calf range via slow, paused raises helps the knee travel forward for better positions.

People who use their calves daily are often surprisingly weak on quality raises
Knee-forward travel keeps you upright in the snatch and many activities
A deep calf raise off a step lowered slowly builds that range
Choose single-leg versus double-leg based on how strong you are

“a lot of people don't realize how weak their calf's are”
Sam Spinelli · 34:30

#calves#ankle-mobility#running

Takeaway54:30

When to stop doing mobility drills between sets

Spinelli likes inserting a beneficial range-of-motion drill between light warm-up or skill sets to ingrain it further. But once you reach genuine working sets you should rest properly. A 60kg snatcher might keep doing an overhead drill up to 50kg, then shut it down and focus on the lift.

Doing a favourite mobility drill between light sets helps ingrain it
Once into hard working sets, stop the drills and rest legitimately
Example: keep the shoulder-flexion drill up to 50kg, then stop for working sets
Recovery matters more than extra mobility once the weight gets heavy

“once you get into your actual working sets I would like try to limit that because you want to legitimately rest”
Sam Spinelli · 55:00

#programming#rest#warm-up