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From 2 episodes and 3 videos

How should I warm up before lifting weights?

Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated

The short answer

Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes, not 30, Nikkiey says. Do a few minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, some gentle mobility like arm circles or glute bridges, then one or two lighter, high-rep sets of your first exercise so your joints, muscles and movement pattern are ready before your working sets.

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  1. Nikkiey on why a warm-up should take 5 to 10 minutes, not 30

    Plays from 10:05 · Ep. 397: How Long Should Workouts Be for Women Over 40?

  2. Nikkiey on warming up muscles you struggle to feel with light, high-rep sets

    Plays from 17:54 · Ep. 267: Why Can't I Feel My Muscles Working When I Lift?

  3. Nikkiey's under-three-minute warm-up: cat-cow, glute bridges and arm circles

    Plays from 2:26 · Video: 25-Minute Dumbbell Workout for Menopause Belly Fat

  4. Nikkiey on combining dynamic stretches with a light first set of 12 to 15 reps

    Plays from 19:04 · Video: Fasted Cardio vs Fasted Lifting: What's Okay After 40?

  5. Nikkiey on why skipping your warm-up sets you back, plus her barbell warm-up

    Plays from 2:42 · Video: Full Body Gym Workout: Deadlifts, Hip Thrusts and Squats

The full answer

Nikkiey's view is simple: never go into a workout cold. In her full-body gym video she explains that skipping the warm-up makes you more likely to get hurt, and an injury sets you back from training and getting results. But on Ep. 397 she is just as clear that longer is not better. Spending 20 or 30 minutes on stretching, foam rolling or general mobility before every session does not give you a better workout. It just eats time you could spend training.

Across the episodes, her warm-up has three parts:

  • Raise your heart rate with a few minutes of cardio to get the blood moving.
  • Wake up your joints. In her dumbbell workout video this takes under three minutes: 30 seconds of cat-cow, 10 glute bridges with a squeeze at the top, and 30 seconds of slow arm circles forward, then backward. On leg day she also uses side-to-side and front-to-back leg kicks to warm up her hips.
  • Do your first exercise lighter. Use body weight or reduced weight, keep it high rep and low intensity, and do one or two sets. She often does a first set of 12 to 15 light reps that does not count toward her working sets.

On Ep. 267 Nikkiey adds a useful nuance: spend extra intention on muscles you have a hard time feeling. She knows her hamstrings fight her on leg press, so she takes two to three minutes to warm them up first. On a lat pulldown, she suggests putting about half the weight on the stack for two sets. On glute day, try bodyweight glute bridges with a 30-second hold at the top before your first squat.

The warm-up also tells you where to start. In her gym video, Nikkiey uses how her warm-up set felt to choose her first working weight, so she can build across her sets instead of going too heavy and having to back down.

From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.

Women also ask

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  • Strength Training for Women

    How long should I rest between sets to build muscle?

    Nikkiey's starting point is 60 to 90 seconds between sets for compound lifts like squats, deadlifts and presses, and about 45 to 60 seconds for isolation moves like curls. On heavier compound work she'll go up to two minutes. Above all, time it, because four or five minutes of scrolling breaks up the training effect.

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  • Strength Training for Women

    Are full body workouts better than body part splits for women over 40?

    For most women over 40, Nikkiey Stott recommends full body workouts over body part splits. One exercise per muscle group, four to five days a week, spreads the work out so you recover between sessions and stay consistent. She's clear that bro splits aren't bad, though. Progressive overload is what matters most.

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  • Strength Training for Women

    Is good form more important than lifting heavier?

    Yes. Nikkiey's order is form first, then connection to the muscle, then weight. If you can't feel the target muscle working, adding weight doesn't make it stronger; other muscles take over and your joints pay for it. Drop the weight until you feel the right muscle, then build from there.

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