Squat warm-up routine....

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

I find my legs still being really stiff and the movement feeling really rigid even after several light sets before my actual work sets. What does everyone else do to warm up their legs before doing squats? Are there any particular exercises to get the hips, quads, hams, and everything nicely warmed up before actual work sets?

 

[Turkishexpress]

Walking lunges always do the trick for me. I usually do 4 sets of 20 steps and by the end of it, got a pretty good pump.

 

[saps]

Do your hams before you squat

 

[dalvare1]

Do your hams before you squat

bingo

5 sets of nice hamstring curls seated and/or lying w a good cadence and both high/low reps works great for me

and foam rolling any kinks works well too

 

[rantitude]

5-10 minutes on the stationary bike to get the blood flowing, followed by a few light sets of 20 on the hip adductor machine. Then bodyweight squats onto a bench or box, pausing on the box and pushing knees out hard. If you have any bands, double a band just below each knee for some added resistance when pushing the knees out, which will really hit the hips. If you're really tight, throw some foam-rolling in as well, and some additional band stretching.

 

[Bertucci]

Something I have found to help warm up the hip flexors is to, if you're warming up the right side, grab a pole or something with your left arm and swing your right leg forward and back like you're punting a football but exaggerating the movement, kind of twisting as you go using mostly momentum. You obviously just switch position to get the other side. My hip flexors seem to be the biggest determiner in how much I can lift any given day and this really works for me to get them loose.

 

[method2madness]

Walking lunges always do the trick for me. I usually do 4 sets of 20 steps and by the end of it, got a pretty good pump.

:yeahthat:

 

[Chipper Jones78]

I usually do 3-4 sets of leg extensions, 20 - 30 reps.

Then I like to squat like a mofo for 6-8 sets.

Followed by 3-5 sets hams.

Chip

 

[chrisrivers]

I usually foam roll my IT band and quads before i squat. Helps me.

 

[autoimmune]

1) 5 minute on bike with seat low enough to really warm up hips
2) foam roll IT band, hip flexors, quads, hammies, adductors
3) lateral lunges to stretch out adductors

then

leg extensions and leg curls

this is my protocal every squat day. if i'm exceptionally tight i'll even add in static stretches such as couch stretch, hip stretch, and hammy stretch.

 

[myosaurus]

foam rolling really thoroughly in my quads, IT bands, piriformis, then my calves before workout really helped. I can start with squats without fear of knee pain if i foam roll.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

Do your hams before you squat

This has been working well for me. I do a few warm up leg press, then SLDL and then move into squats. I feel much better doing it this way.

 

[jack of all]

Another reply for ham curls first and then several light warm-up sets

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

[thebigguy84]

foam rolling really thoroughly in my quads, IT bands, piriformis, then my calves before workout really helped. I can start with squats without fear of knee pain if i foam roll.

I have been having alot of knee pain lately with any pressing motion but they are always my starting leg exercise I try to always do high rep but maybe I should roll them before I start??? I do use knee sleeves and knee wraps for heavy weights.

 

[coolkat]

Stationary bike 5-10 min., 15 min of Lower Body/leg stretches ( 1-2 sets of 20-30 second static hold stretches from everything from the calves to the low back and hip muscles, a few sets of leg ext. , 2-3 sets of warm up squats, then BLAST!

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

Great info! Thanks guys!

 

[bench529]

2 sets of leg extensions 2 sets of hypers foam roller

 

[autoimmune]

I have been having alot of knee pain lately with any pressing motion but they are always my starting leg exercise I try to always do high rep but maybe I should roll them before I start??? I do use knee sleeves and knee wraps for heavy weights.

When we lift the way we do we cause an extreme degree of stiffness and even shortening of the muscles, especially in the quads. If we do not stretch and foam roll this will begin "pulling" at the knee and causing major issues. I have been dealing with BAD patellar tendonitis for years. As soon as I began foam rolling and utilizing the "couch stretch" my issues have all subsided. You really need to begin focusing on this or you WILL regret it down the road. Lower back issues can also become an issue due to a tight/stiff posterior chain.

 

[trice]

6 sets of leg extensions,then i'm good to go.

 

[MM PUNK]

I usually do 3-4 sets of leg extinctions, 20 - 30 reps.

Then I like to squat like a mofo for 6-8 sets.

Followed by 3-5 sets hams.

Chip

1) 5 minute on bike with seat low enough to really warm up hips
2) foam roll IT band, hip flexors, quads, hammies, adductors
3) lateral lunges to stretch out adductors

then

leg extinctions and leg curls

this is my protocal every squat day. if i'm exceptionally tight i'll even add in static stretches such as couch stretch, hip stretch, and hammy stretch.

2 sets of leg extinctions 2 sets of hypers foam roller

6 sets of leg extinctions,then i'm good to go.

fixed