Warmups and Cool downs...

Quick question. I have been doing foundation one for a month now and I am loving it. Sometimes I feel that I would like to have a little warmup before jumping right into the exercises (especially the push ups and the squats), so far I've been using the daily limber from Fundamentals as a warmup but is there any other routine that you recommend for warmup/cooldown?

Great question Adrian! Keep using the daily limber as a warmup. Before that, I always suggest a few minutes of light cardio like easy jogging or jumping rope. Then perform a set of a previously mastered progression in each category you are training for that day. If you are still on PE1 in a category then skip that last step until you are on at least PE2.

Sorry to jump in, but @Everett Carroll by each category do you mean each element (FL, HBP, etc) or upper body, lower body, core?
 

For those that might not have already read about it: Foundation Course: Warm Up
 

Quote

Warm up with two to three sets of higher reps of exercises which you have already mastered.

Choose from among the following rep schemes: 21/15/9 or 21/15 or 15/9.

(For example: If you were working Parallel Bar Dips (HBP/PE6), you might choose to warm up with Incline Push Ups (HBP/PE1) for 15 reps, before completing a set of Bench Dips (HBP/PE4) for 9 reps.)

1. Note that your ability with the particular HBP/PE which you select, should match the prescribed warm up repetition range you have chosen.
2. Note also that the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on these warm up sets should only be moderate at best.

If you are working hard. You have selected preparatory elements which are too challenging to be used for warm up sets.

Do not spend exorbitant amounts of time and effort warming up for your day’s workout. 5-10 minutes is plenty.

Adrian:

Before the new Foundation 1 was rolled out, there was some discussion of using a 21-15-9 template for warmups. That was a warmup protocol based on a 15 rep mastery set. I interpreted that as 140%-100%-60% for application to elements with other mastery set levels, e.g., 10 rep, 60 sec, etc. So, if I was on PE(n) of an element, I would use 140% of PE(n-3), 100% of PE(n-2), and 60% of PE(n-1) as a warmup for that element. I also do the iM for each warmup element. This keeps me sharp on previously mastered exercises, as well as warming me up for the strength work.

I know this sounds complicated, but it really is not. An example: for upper body I am on HBP/PE2, RC/PE2, and sPL/PE4 after the restart. After doing some joint prep (John Engum's Flexible Steel mobility routine for about 5 minutes) and the daily limber from Fundamentals (another 5 minutes or so), I do a warmup as follows:

HBP/PE1 9 reps + iM 5 reps/side
RC/PE1 9 reps + iM 15 secs/side
sPL/PE1 21 reps + iM 5reps/side
sPL/PE2 60 secs + iM 10 reps/side
sPL/PE3 36 secs + iM 5 reps

The warmup doesn't take more than 5 minutes or so and primes me very well for the  days work, without taxing me too much since they were previously mastered exercises (that I want the stay mastered). Total time from start to the day's strength work is about 15 minutes. I'm toasty, limber, and ready for the specific elements to be trained.

This works great for me now. Once I am on at least PE4 of all elements, or on more difficult exercises, I may reevaluate and back off.

Another warmup protocol that has been discussed is one 200% set of just the previously mastered PE.

Warmup can be an individual thing, highly structured the way I do it, or more free form and playful such as the quadrupedal locomotion moves in the Movement course. Find what works for you. Prepare for the day's activity, but don't tax yourself before the real workout.

Mark

8 hours ago, Guido Franchetti said:

Sorry to jump in, but @Everett Carroll by each category do you mean each element (FL, HBP, etc) or upper body, lower body, core?
 

Each progression; pushups are a good general warmup but are not specific to rows for eg

As you move forward, it works most efficiently to warmup with one element in each movement plane; for example, a pushup variant then a dip variant prior to handstand pushups. Ideally you'd rotate them and so work similar but slightly different each time. This is a great way to maintain previously mastered elements, joint integrity by working at higher reps, and that hard-won mobility by working in different planes

Thanks Jon! I guess the more advanced you get the more comprehensive your workout becomes. But I imagine you don't follow the 21-15-9 template discussed in the introduction to the courses and posted above by Mark, right? That would make 3 elements per plane - that's more than my current workout! Do you do one set at mastery level per element or 200% of mastery level or what? Also, you do just the PE, not the iM (as a warm up should include some limbering before anyway), correct?

So ideally the warmup should be

1) Cardio
2) Limbering/dynamical stretching to prep joints and lightly work on personal limitations
3) Prep strength work

Just asking to know what the warm up becomes at an advanced level, I've been building up mine a step at a time: started with just some limbering, added some more limbering, added a bit of cardio and now putting in some prep strength.

@Adrian Garcia Mendez Sorry for hijacking your thread, I had a similar question and I thought it could be useful to have everything in one place, I hope you don't mind.

Actually I *do* use the 21-15-9, but only for one element each  for eg 21 PPP, 15 dip variant, 9 hspu variant before going onto my pressing work sets. 

The structure you've laid out there is correct and productive. The prep sets should be exactly that; preparation for work sets. Be wary of being a warmup hero; get it done and get to bidness for the day

Hi!

There's plenty of information about warm-ups here, it helped a lot.  But what about the cool downs?  I didn't see any infos on that... Sorry if there was but missed them.

Thanks!

Hi Etienne,

I prefer a stretch series or at least some light limbering for cool down. A few sets of additional mobility exercises can also be a nice addition to your cool down routine. 

As some of us probably haven't purchased Fundamentals could someone provide a litle insight of what the daily limber looks like or point to a routine that looks similar?

I assume that fundamentals is a very good program (like the rest) but after going nuts and spending too much money on the whole GB curriculum I'm a little bit short on money for recreational purposes and therefore not really inclined to spend 75$ if the main benefit would be the warmup routine.

8 hours ago, Everett Carroll said:

I prefer a stretch series or at least some light limbering for cool down. A few sets of additional mobility exercises can also be a nice addition to your cool down routine. 

By light limbering or additional sets of mobility, do you mean either to take some stretch exercises or mobility exercises and to hold them 1 minute-90 seconds? 

For you guys I suggest using the previous mobility exercises as a cool down especially for shoulders, they work pretty well. 

the cooldown can depend also on your level of foundations. my preference it is to use some stretch positions of the Stretch Course. the good thing about foundations it is that the time it is optimized by using the rest with the mobility, this approach leads to balance the tissue tension directly in the workout and you do not need necessarily additional time or stretch at the end. you tend to improve also only with the foundations structure.