Designing An Effective Warm Up Routine For Testing Your 1RM Back Squat

I recently read an article titled “Designing an Effective Preactivity Warm-up Routine for the 1 Repetition Maximum Back Squat” that was published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal in 2011.

This was of interest to me as many individuals who attend Principle Four Osteopathy are often training regularly and performing back squats within their training program.  Some of the key take home messages from the article were:

  • The 1 Rep Max (RM) back squat test is commonly used to quantify lower extremity strength.
  • Preactivity static stretching temporarily decreases the level of force a muscle can produce due to decreased musculotendinous stiffness.
  • Static stretching perhaps should not be totally eliminated from ones training program, with it having benefits of decreasing stiffness and increasing range of motion when performed post training.
  • Dynamic Warm Up/Stretching that is made up of exercises that emphasise whole body continuous movement can be effective in getting the body ready for training.  Dynamic warm up exercises could also include sport specific movements that prepare the person for the activity they are about to perform.
  • Plyometric exercises as part of a warm up routine have been shown to enhance strength and power.
  • Whole body vibration as part of the warm up has also been shown to enhance ones performance.
  • Dynamic stretching, plyometrics and/or whole body vibration should only be part of ones complete warm up/movement preparation.
  • 5 minutes of an overall body warm up where ones core temperature is raised and a slight sweat is created can get one ready.

This blog article was written by osteopath Heath Williams of Principle Four Osteopathy.  Principle Four Osteopathy is one of Melbourne City CBD and Docklands leading osteopathy clinics.  If you would like to book an appointment with an osteopath or read more, please go to www.principlefourosteopathy.com.