Research over the last few years has changed the way many coaches warm up their athletes. Gone are the days of sitting down holding stretches for 10 minutes and doing countless push-ups and sit-ups. But what should replace these outdated practices?

Enter dynamic warm-ups.

As the video above demonstrates, dynamic warm-ups involve various movement patterns that aim to increase mobility and dynamic flexibility in the joints we use in training. When we are drilling and rolling, very rarely are we held in a static position at the end of our range of motion. Instead we are constantly moving through our range of flexibility. For this reason, dynamic warm-ups should be performed before every workout!

Benefits of dynamic warm-ups include:

1. The continuous movement keeps the body’s core and muscle temperature raised, reducing the risk of injury as the tissues are more pliable.
2. The muscles and joints are prepared in a more sport specific manner than static stretching.
3. Cordination and motor ability are increased and the nervous system is fired up, making our bodies react more efficiently.
4. The dynamic warmup requires the athlete to focus on what they are doing. With static stretching, it is far too easy to drift off into a daydream instead of preparing the mind for the workout ahead. Proper mental preparation for any sport is vital.
5. The dynamic warm-up should be relatively taxing. If you’re not sweating at the end of it, you’re not doing it properly!

Static stretching still has it’s place but is better suited at the end of a workout to restore the original length of the muscle, which may become shortened due to the fatigue of training. If it is used at the start of a session, it should be performed before the dynamic warm-up and focus on muscles that are particularly tight for the individual. Making everybody static stretch in the same position and for the same duration offers little benefit, as everybody has specific needs and areas to focus on with their flexibility.

So to sum up, your warm-up routines should follow something a little like this:
1. Foam roll - Prepare those tissues before you train! If this the warm-up is for a BJJ class, make time for 10 minutes of foam rolling before the class starts (Click here for last month’s foam rolling article)
2. Static stretch - hit those problematic areas and hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Work both sides equally!
3. General warm-up - Jogging around the mat for a few minutes is recommended prior to dynamic stretching
4. Get dynamic - Get those joints and muscles mobile in preparation for the class! repeat each exercise on both sides for at least 10 repetitions each.
5. And on a final note, don’t end your dynamic warmup with 10 minutes of static stretching. In this time, your muscles will get cold again and you will have undone all your hard work!

For a more advanced type of dynamic movement preparation, be sure to check out the BJJ specific Ginastica Natural movements:

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