i warm up for 15 minutes before bench pressing

[judochoke]

i see a lot of guys start with one plate on each side for maybe 10 reps, then go right to two plates and maybe do 6 reps. i could never figure that out. and now as I'm much older,(almost 60),i still can't figure it out.
i always start off with 135 for 10 reps, for 4 sets. this get a little blood into my chest, starts to get my triceps warm, and just gets me in the mind set to lift heavy. then i put on a 25 pound plate and do 3 sets of 6 reps.
the weight is still easy, but I'm getting more blood into my chest, starting to get my mind into the workout. next i put on two plates, and do three sets of 6 reps. the weight is still pretty easy.
by now, I'm pretty much in a full sweat, totally pumped up, mind is ready, back is warmed up so i can flare my back as i lift.

i then, and only then, go into my 3 heavy sets of either bench or incline presses. then i always finish with 4 sets of 6 reps paused reps, with a lower weight.

i have warmed up like this for over 20 years. and it works. i have never had any chest injuries, triceps injuries, nothing.
(i did injury my right shoulder, trying like a idiot to kick up the 100s for seated dumbbell presses. bad idea. took 6 months and a cortisone shot to get back to normal)

just my two cents on warming up for a older lifter, or a younger lifter who likes to bench, but doesn't  want to get injured.

my young training partner now warms up like this. i told him that when i croak, for him to tell the youngsters a old fucker told him to warm up like this. it prevents injuries.

[The True Adonis]

I have never warmed up, trained without a break for 19 years now and never have been injured or anything.

I can't understand why people warm up at all.   

[cephissus]

I have never warmed up, trained without a break for 19 years now and never have been injured or anything.

I can't understand why people warm up at all.  

if you get injured, then you'll know

[rocket]

People who don't understand stuff like that are lower risk for injuries, period.

[The True Adonis]

if you get injured, then you'll know

[cephissus]

i was the same as you, never warmed up.  still don't for a lot of things.  but the stuff that's been fucked for years and years (lower back, knees, etc.)... i just don't have the mobility anymore without a warmup.  i can't even do any lower body movements properly without a good warmup.

[The True Adonis]

i was the same as you, never warmed up.  still don't for a lot of things.  but the stuff that's been fucked for years and years (lower back, knees, etc.)... i just don't have the mobility anymore without a warmup.  i can't even do any lower body movements properly without a good warmup.

No idea what thats like and it looks like I don't have to worry about it.  So I won't.

[cephissus]

No idea what thats like and it looks like I don't have to worry about it.  So I won't.

That's wise and actually brings up a good point: way too many people do useless warmups and stuff just because they think they need to.  And tons of clueless 'fitness expert' perpetuate this behavior with their bogus advice.  It took me years to understand what was useful for me... no thanks to the generic advice I received from countless sources.

[nzmusclemonster]

I have never warmed up, trained without a break for 19 years now and never have been injured or anything.

I can't understand why people warm up at all.   

Swimmers don't often get injured.

[Man of Steel]

Some folks require a lengthy warm-up before they can begin the heavier, tougher movements.

I'm one of those folks.  I'll warm-up for many sets and a couple hundred reps before getting to the heavier stuff.

I've seen folks that never warm-up, go right into heavy stuff and never get hurt.

I don't get them and they don't get me....is what it is.   

[Nirvana]

Some folks require a lengthy warm-up before they can begin the heavier, tougher movements.

I'm one of those folks.  I'll warm-up for many sets and a couple hundred reps before getting to the heavier stuff.

I've seen folks that never warm-up, go right into heavy stuff and never get hurt.

I don't get them and they don't get me....is what it is.   

x2. I think flexibility has something to do with it as well. Lat exercises I can get into pretty quickly. Chest exercises take all day for me to get warm.

[Walter Sobchak]

I warm up 15 minutes before I teabag your mom

[Eric2]

When I used to bench press, my warm ups where more stretches. I would lay down on a bench and hold a ten pound plate in each hAnd and lowers them to the floor arms locked straight out. I would hold it there for five seconds and slowly bring the plates together keeping arms locked straight out. I would do this 2 to 3 times. I would then put one plate one each side and starting from the chest press very quickly to the top just short of lock out to get the fast twitch fibers recruited.
   I would then put another plate one each side bringing it to 225, and do the same thing for five reps starting at the bottom and press as fast and as hard as I can just short of lockout
   Then I would place another plate on each side 315, this set and the following two would be traditional bench press form. Start from the top and press all the way out for 12 reps. If I still had gas in the tank the next set was 365 for 3. I would finish with a burn out set of 225 untitl I failed.

[The True Adonis]

That's wise and actually brings up a good point: way too many people do useless warmups and stuff just because they think they need to.  And tons of clueless 'fitness expert' perpetuate this behavior with their bogus advice.  It took me years to understand what was useful for me... no thanks to the generic advice I received from countless sources.

Exactly.  Kind of like "Foam Rolling".  Oh brother what a waste. 

[iwantmass]

I Liken the research behind warming up to that of stretching.  Mostly bro science.  I do a couple of reps with the bar.  A couple reps with a moderately heavy weight, and maybe 1 more single rep just under my initial working set.  I do all of these to acclimate myself to the heavier load, not to warm up. Furthermore idiots that do 20 reps at 135 then multiple reps at increasing weights as the initial poster suggested aren't warming up.  That is working out, and it is going to make you weaker for your heavier sets.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2303905/Stretching-exercising-actually-CAUSE-injury--make-slower.html

[Van_Bilderass]

15 minutes isn't a long warm-up to me. This probably sounds crazy but I sometimes watm-up in excess of an hour for some lifts. Had lots of injuries though, takes time to get the body to feel ready for heavy lifts.

[wes]

I was fully warmed up arould 3 weeks ago and now I can`t even raise my left arm.

I`m seriously thinking of quitting this shit!!   

[Griffith]

I have never warmed up, trained without a break for 19 years now and never have been injured or anything.

I can't understand why people warm up at all.   

It puts some blood in the muscles, prepares the joints and increases mobility.

[Powerlift66]

Been training for 38 years now without a break, a 10 rep set of 135 is plenty for my bench warm up. Then I pick it up and curl it in the squat rack...

[Mr Anabolic]

At 50 years old, after 32 years of training, a decent warm-up is a must for me: 95x25, 115x20, 135x15, then start the work sets.  I never understood why some guys start with an empty bar... I can see me doing that when I'm 90 though.

[Marty Champions]

i was the same as you, never warmed up.  still don't for a lot of things.  but the stuff that's been fucked for years and years (lower back, knees, etc.)... i just don't have the mobility anymore without a warmup.  i can't even do any lower body movements properly without a good warmup.

u need epsom salt

[Deadpool]

 

[PJim]

Warming up is more psychological IMO

[ratherbebig]

i dont warm up before bench pressing mostly because i dont bench press.

[Nether Animal]

I was fully warmed up arould 3 weeks ago and now I can`t even raise my left arm.

I`m seriously thinking of quitting this shit!!   

Are you still doing to do one last show, or is that off the table?