Every workout you do at Vegvisir starts the same way: with a warm-up. Whether it’s a brutal test day with an all-out AMRAP or a lighter recovery session, we consistently spend about 8–12 minutes getting your body ready for whatever the WOD has in store.
You’ve probably heard that warm-ups help prevent injury, and you’ve definitely heard the classic comparison that muscles are like rubber bands. But let’s zoom out a bit and talk about why warming up matters—not just for today’s workout, but for long-term health and performance.
The Science Behind Warming Up
Your muscles are incredible. They’re made up of fibers working together to move your bones with enough force to lift three to three-and-a-half times your body weight. They run on oxygen from your lungs and nutrients delivered by your blood, adapt to stress daily, and play a huge role in protecting you from injury.
So why do they need extra prep?
The answer lies in fascia. Think of fascia like the insulation around electrical wires—except the wires are your muscles. Fascia gives structure and rigidity (without it, sharks would be weirdly floppy) and helps regulate how much blood can flow through a muscle. That’s also why rolling out tight spots is called myofascial release.
When muscles are “cold,” blood flow is limited and the tissue sits in a tighter resting state. Warming up signals your body to send more blood into the muscles. As the fascia expands, blood flow increases, and—when done correctly—a warm-up can actually improve how forcefully your muscles contract. Short version: warming up can make you stronger.
The Rubber Band Effect
When we say “warm-up,” we mean it literally—we’re increasing muscle temperature. That’s where the rubber band analogy really fits.
Muscles work in pairs. One contracts while the other relaxes. Try this: let your right arm hang completely loose. Now touch your right shoulder with that hand. Feel how your bicep tightens while the back of your arm stays soft? That same relationship exists throughout your body.
Now picture a rubber band tossed into the freezer overnight. Pull it hard right away and it snaps. Why? Because its elasticity was limited, and the force exceeded what it could handle.
Cold muscles behave the same way. Applying max effort—like a heavy deadlift—to unprepared tissue is like yanking on that frozen rubber band. Warming up increases elasticity, allowing muscles and fascia to handle force safely.
Fun fact: the protein responsible for muscle elasticity is called titin. Science is cool.
Finding the Warm-Up Sweet Spot
A proper warm-up needs balance. We know we want better blood flow and more elasticity, so should we just run 400 meters and stretch for 10 minutes?
Not quite.
Muscles thrive in a Goldilocks zone. Too little warm-up and tissues stay cold. Too much stretching or intensity and you risk injury from excessive range of motion or overuse. That’s why long, static stretching before workouts isn’t recommended—it can reduce power output and increase injury risk.
A good warm-up raises your heart rate and sends blood to the muscles you’ll use that day. That’s why you’ll see movements like burpees before wall walks or biking before squat-heavy workouts. If you feel like you’re working at about 70–80% effort, you’re right where you should be.
For mobility, we use short-range stretches held for just a few seconds at a time. Movements like Russian Baby Makers or Hindu Push-Ups gently push range of motion while keeping muscles ready to fire. By the end, you should feel springy—not stiff.
Keep Showing Up Warm
No matter how tight the schedule or how eager you are to lift, warming up should always be part of your training. Ten minutes of prep beats two months of rehab from a pulled muscle.
Treat your body well now, and you’ll still be hitting strength PRs in your 40s—and chasing grandkids in your 90s.
To talk with a coach today, click the link found HERE to schedule your No Sweat Intro