How to Warm Up When Bodybuilding

Almost every bodybuilding expert will tell you that to prevent injuries you need to warm up before hitting the weights. Warming up raises your body temperature and increases the blood flow to your muscles, allowing for more fluidity and less chances of injury.

Instructions

1. Start your pre-workout warm-up by doing a short five-to-10-minute cardio exercise. Walk or jog on a treadmill or ride on a stationary bike. Keep this activity moderate, enough to work up a slight sweat.
2. Follow the cardio exercise with five to 10 minutes of stretching. Do a full range of motion for whatever stretching exercise you are doing. Hold the stretch for 10 to 12 seconds. Do not jerk or bounce when stretching.
3. Perform one set of a bodybuilding exercise with a weight that is approximately 40 percent less than what you would normally use. For instance, bench press 80 pounds for one set of 10 to 12 repetitions if you work out with 200 pounds.
4. Warm up each body part once before moving on to a heavier weight for a chosen exercise. Gradually increase the weight until you reach the weight you normally use.