Recently, and if you’ve been following the programming you’ve noticed this, I have been experimenting with using lifting as warmup for my lifting. Let me give you an example.
This morning I did 3 sets of 2 Drop Snatches without a dip or drive @ 60% of my max snatch. I used that exercise, which wasn’t super easy but didn’t take much time, to prep my shoulders, hips, and back for the heavy snatching I would do next. This afternoon I did 3 sets of doubles @ 77% in the power snatch as a warmup for some really heavy singles in behind the neck jerks. Both times, the main exercises went really really well. Abnormally well.
On days where I do some rolling out, a bar warmup, and get to right after the main exercise for the day, I’ve noticed that my results aren’t as positive. I’ve always promoted that you need to warmup with a good bar warmup in order to develop good habits that will overflow into your work for the day. However, using work as prep for work is a newer idea to me. One that I think works.
Do you ever feel like you just finally got warmed up and moving fast at the END of your workout? I have that feeling often. This recent idea has begun to remedy that problem and allow me to excel in the main lifts, the high percentages.
If you are following the programming on the blog, you will already see some of this philosophy show up in your workouts. If you are doing something different, give this idea a shot. Try using lifts as a warmup for the lifts. See what happens. I think you’ll be surprised to see how much faster, mobile, and prepared you are.