The Three-Bucket Warm-Up Design
Design any warm-up around three jobs: get warm, open the ranges, prime the nerves.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 90%
Spinelli reduces every warm-up, across any activity, to three buckets. First, legitimately get physically warm: a higher body temperature speeds metabolism and nerve conduction, and loosens the viscoelastic tissue so you move more freely. Second, prepare the specific ranges of motion the session demands, which for lifting or CrossFit means large excursions best hit with dynamic drills that double as warming. Third, prime the nervous system for the exact task by rehearsing the skill and ramping load or effort gradually rather than jumping cold into a heavy snatch. The practical minimum is four to five dynamic drills, always covering thoracic mobility, hip rotation, and trunk activation, cycled for six to twelve reps across two to three sets, then a few minutes of deliberate skill work before the first working sets.
Origin
Dr. Sam Spinelli, a physiotherapist and strength coach behind Citizen Athletics and E3 Rehab, distilled this framework from the research literature and his coaching of runners, triathletes and CrossFitters, presenting it on Modern Wisdom in 2020.
Core principles
- 01Better performance is the real goal; lower injury risk is its byproduct.
- 02Getting physically warm is non-negotiable, everything else is layered on top.
- 03Most gym-goers are time-poor, so chase the 80% return, not the perfect ritual.
- 04Static stretching is optional; you can get the same range from moving through it.
- 05Warm-up drills should target your specific limitations, not a generic checklist.
How to run it
- 1
Legitimately get physically warm
Raise your body temperature with a few minutes of jogging, skipping, rowing or the ERG until fluids move freely and you feel loose. This speeds metabolism and nerve conduction so tissues respond faster.
Pro tip Feeling cold means you have not done a sufficient job; aim to feel loose and a couple of beads of sweat if you sweat easily.
Watch out The sweat heuristic fails for people who barely sweat, so judge by looseness and temperature instead.
- 2
Open the ranges of motion the session demands
Move through the deep ranges the day's work requires using dynamic drills. For lifting and CrossFit this covers big excursions, and the drills conveniently warm you at the same time.
Pro tip Dynamic drills hit two buckets at once, getting you warm while opening range, which is why they beat sitting on a bike for lifting sessions.
- 3
Cover the three essential drills
As a minimum pick a thoracic mobility drill such as a side-lying windmill, a hip rotation drill such as the 90/90, and a trunk activation drill such as a dead bug or side plank. Cycle each for six to twelve reps across two to three sets.
Pro tip Most people have a thoracic extension limitation, a hip rotation limitation, and weak trunk tension, so these three cover roughly 90% of gym-goers.
- 4
Add accessory work for your own limitations
Layer on drills specific to your body. If you struggle overhead, add thoracic rotation or eccentric shoulder-flexion drills; if you struggle to squat deep, add hip work.
Pro tip Individual variation is the whole point here; the extra work should target your personal mechanical cross to bear, not a generic list.
Watch out Do not copy someone else's accessory drills wholesale; their limitation may not be yours.
- 5
Prime the nervous system with skill work
Spend a few minutes doing technical skill work in the actual movement, moving fast but deliberately to improve precision. This ramps neurological readiness so the real lifts feel automatic.
Pro tip Doing focused skill work now transfers over time so that during real sets you can stop thinking and just move.
- 6
Ramp gradually into working sets
Build up load or effort progressively into your first exercise rather than jumping cold. A basic warm-up plus a gradual ramp is enough to reach even a heavy single.
Pro tip You do not need to clatter plates on and rush; a solid warm-up means you can establish a heavy squat in roughly twelve minutes.
Watch out Once you reach genuine working sets, stop inserting mobility drills between sets so you can rest properly.
In the wild
A time-poor lifter with an hour to train picks four drills: a side-lying windmill for the thoracic spine, a 90/90 hip rotation for internal and external hip range, a dead bug for trunk tension, and one accessory drill for a personal limitation. Each is cycled for six to twelve reps across two to three sets, finishing in about five minutes. They then do a few minutes of light, deliberate skill work in their first lift and ramp load gradually into working sets.
→ A warm, mobile, neurologically primed athlete ready to train hard in roughly five to ten minutes total.
A self-described 'bro' who trained chest and biceps for years cannot get a barbell comfortably overhead. Following the framework, he adds a bench t-spine drill and an eccentric supine pullover to bucket two, driving thoracic extension and shoulder flexion, then does light skill work with an empty bar before loading.
→ Improved overhead position that generic warming or jumping straight into snatches would not have produced.
Common mistakes
Starting work before you are actually warm
Going from cold straight into the movement raises injury risk and hurts performance; if you still feel cold, the warm-up is not done.
Relying on hard static stretching
A challenging max-effort static stretch immediately before demanding work can reduce performance and rarely adds range you cannot get by moving through the motion.
Rushing working sets to keep up with the room
Clattering plates on to match the lifter next to you wrecks movement precision; a good warm-up means you have plenty of time to build up.
Is it for you?
Best for
Time-constrained lifters and CrossFitters who want a repeatable five-to-ten-minute warm-up that actually improves performance.
Not ideal for
Elite specialists like sprinters or professional athletes with hours to devote to sport-specific preparation.
From the transcript
“there's basically like three buckets we can think of and the first one is gonna be that you legitimately need to warm up”
“I'm gonna pick four to five different movements that has them moving through a different range of motion”
“for most people I would pick like those three as a minimum and then pick something else usually and then it's just like cycled through…”
From the episode
How To Design Your Perfect Warmup - Dr Sam Spinelli - #162
Dr Sam Spinelli