Strength Primers
We all know that a good warm up is necessary to have a good workout. We need to make sure we spend ample time preparing our bodies for the movements we are about to execute. This may include mobilizing certain joints, stretching or activating certain muscles, or performing drills to hone in technique for lifting. Man, thats a lot of stuff! A lot of times people find it hard to get adequate mobilization and activation into warm ups because we have a limited amount of time due to our busy schedules. A great way to combine mobility and activation is the use of strength primers.
Strength primers are not only a great way to activate the necessary muscles for whatever movement you want to execute that day, but also provide some mobilization to the necessary areas AT THE SAME TIME!! Tow for one is a pretty sweet deal in my opinion. Performing strength primers will not only allow you to move through a greater range of motion but also allow you to activate more musculature allowing you to lift more weight. The best part about doing these primers is that they make movements feel good.
A good example of a strength primer for the squat would be our fire hydrant series or a banded walk with the hip circle. Performing these to warm up and a couple times between warm up sets can give us a little bit of mobility as well as get the glutes firing to give us a stronger squat. Check out this article written by Max Shank (awesome name) about strength primers. It gives you some background info on them as well as examples of strength primers you can use for certain movements. Max is a well respected trainer and is known for his ability to lift incredible weight but still be incredibly limber at the same time. I would highly suggest reading some of his other articles.
Next time you have a strength squat session, overhead movement, or just a very effective way to get the body ready for a workout, try using a strength primer! You are more than welcome to ask myself or any of the other coaches for advice on which you should do that day.
Here’s Coach Lennox Demoing Some Banded Walks!
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