How important are the warm-ups where you roll at the beginning of class?

[Kenjamito]

Just curious because I am having my second start at BJJ in this boxing gym where the mat is sort of a small space, so the warm-up was modified to consist of running around the mat, running backwards, shrimping, then shrimping forwards, then doing something I'm not sure what it was called where you put your foot down and raise your butt off the mat.

I'd imagine this is OK right? It's not like all those killers that came out of brazil started in a huge gym with warm-ups where you do summer saults for 80 feet, right?

 

[j123]

looks okay, you're lacking in real estate, so you'd have to work with what you have.

 

[TheMood]

A warm up should be just that. Some basic related exercises to get your body ready to move. It is more important the older you get. What you are doing sounds fine.

 

[OldManbjj]

They are a waste of time and take away from rolling. Stretching is cool. But wearing my old ass out before rolling is not. =P

 

[KikoJones]

At 51, I need the warm ups. Get my knees, shoulders, back and neck warmed up. Otherwise I stiffen up like an Oak board. No such thing as rolling light at my academy. We bump, slap and within 60 sec, we're at 11. "because 11 is 1 more than 10"

 

[BJJ_Rage]

They are a waste of time and take away from rolling. Stretching is cool. But wearing my old ass out before rolling is not. =P

stretching while not warmed out is about the worst thing you can do.

 

[Overtures]

You described what happens in every gym across America.

 

[spelingmastir]

They are a waste of time and take away from rolling. Stretching is cool. But wearing my old ass out before rolling is not. =P

If the warm-ups wear you out that's good for two reasons. One, you are gonna get into better shape. Two, you will be forced to use technique versus strength.

 

[RJ Green]

calisthenics, gymnastics, and dynamic stretching are super beneficial, both as a warm up and for body coordination. tons of crossover.

static stretching is a horrible warmup and can lead to injury

 

[Human Bass]

Call me old school, but jumping jacks and its many variations are great for warming up.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

They are a waste of time and take away from rolling. Stretching is cool. But wearing my old ass out before rolling is not. =P

There's a reason every professional sport in the world does warm-ups before a game, or even a practice. Think about - these are young, extremely fit athletes, and their coaches are still worried enough about the injuries that come from not warming up that they insist upon it.

On the other hand, warm-up means doing enough to get a light sweat and move the joints. A warm-up isn't a workout, its exactly what it says - warming up. Think of muscle and tendons like toffee - cold taffee breaks, warm toffee bends. Its why BJJ_rage are RG_Green are right about stretching before being warm (and the problem with static stretching is that your ligaments, muscles and tendons act as shock aborbers; if you pre-stretch them you reduce their active range of spring effect). Static stretching is for when you're not about to do anything remotely dynamic.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

There's a reason every professional sport in the world does warm-ups before a game, or even a practice. Think about - these are young, extremely fit athletes, and their coaches are still worried enough about the injuries that come from not warming up that they insist upon it.

On the other hand, warm-up means doing enough to get a light sweat and move the joints. A warm-up isn't a workout, its exactly what it says - warming up. Think of muscle and tendons like toffee - cold taffee breaks, warm toffee bends. Its why BJJ_rage are RG_Green are right about stretching before being warm (and the problem with static stretching is that your ligaments, muscles and tendons act as shock aborbers; if you pre-stretch them you reduce their active range of spring effect). Static stretching is for when you're not about to do anything remotely dynamic.

I hurt my back horrbli doing static streching before class. I set a goal to get my legs behind my neck like a pretzel, so I went before class every day and stretched for like 20 mins, after a couple of weeks my middle back hurt horrible I couldnt invert nothing.. then I wised up and stop doing it, my back got better in no time.

light warm up, then stretch all you want.

 

[RJ Green]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26642915
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22316148
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22692125
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28149355
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28118306

 

[kjg1672]

Warm-ups are important, but jumping jacks, etc., have become a little tedious for me. I would prefer to begin with a flow roll, work some technique and drill, then get into rolling. Even with rolling, I don't go hard until usually the third roll or so.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Your body should be warm before you roll with intensity.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Warm-ups are important, but jumping jacks, etc., have become a little tedious for me. I would prefer to begin with a flow roll, work some technique and drill, then get into rolling. Even with rolling, I don't go hard until usually the third roll or so.

50 jumping jacks isnt going to hurt anyone...

 

[Binge]

We don't do the traditional warm up where you spend a chunk of class running in circles, doing rolls, and whatnot, but the fundamentals class does.

We're expected to show up a little early and do some warming up on our own. Then at the start of class we spend maybe 5-10 minutes doing reps of something basic as our warm up. Then we get into instruction. I love this method.

 

[SummerStriker]

I think they are pretty important.

I actually do the elliptical for 15 minutes, followed by some yoga, before I leave my house for class because I think the warmups are too short and too difficult at most places I've trained.

 

[RJ Green]

Yoga is great if you can deal with the soccer mom/granola crowd. Its got countless benefits for grappling.

 

[Thrawn33]

stretching while not warmed out is about the worst thing you can do.

Yup.

Being an old busted Judoka, I make Damn sure I'm warm before stretching and rolling.