The Right Way to Warm Up (And Why the Treadmill Doesn't Count)

One of the most common things I see when a new client starts training with me in Edmonton is this: they walk in, hop on the treadmill for five minutes, do a few arm swings and announce they're warmed up and ready to go. No judgement, we've all done this.

I don't argue with them in that moment. But by the end of the first session, they understand why we do things differently.

The treadmill isn't a warm-up. It's a cardio machine. And the difference between those two things matters a great deal — especially once you're not 25 anymore.

What a warm-up is actually supposed to do

Most people think a warm-up has one job: raise your body temperature.

And yes, that's part of it. But if raising your heart rate were the whole point, a brisk walk to the gym would be enough. A proper warm-up does several things that a treadmill jog doesn't touch.

It activates muscles that have been sitting dormant — particularly the glutes, which are chronically underactive in most adults who spend significant time seated.

It increases the range of motion in joints that have stiffened over the course of the day.

It lubricates those joints so they move smoothly under load rather than grinding through the early sets of your workout.

And it prepares the specific movement patterns you're about to train, so your nervous system isn't figuring out a squat pattern for the first time when there's weight on the bar.

For people in their 50s and 60s, every single one of those functions matters more than it did at 30. Joints take longer to lubricate. Muscles take longer to activate.

Movement patterns that felt intuitive years ago may need to be relearned after long periods of inactivity or following an injury. A five-minute jog followed by some arm swings skips all of that and sends you directly into your workout cold in every way that counts.

The result is usually one of two things: a subpar session where nothing feels quite right, or an injury that sidelines you for weeks.

Neither is acceptable when you're trying to build something lasting.

Think of it this way — you wouldn't start your car and immediately floor it in an Edmonton winter. Your body deserves the same consideration.

The warm-up I can use with clients over 50

This routine takes 8 to 10 minutes. It requires no equipment beyond a mat and, for some movements, a chair or wall for balance support.

Every exercise has a modification noted for those managing joint pain or limited range of motion.

1. Foam rolling — 2 minutes

Target the quads, lats, and upper back. Move slowly and pause on any area that feels particularly dense or tender. This isn't about pain — it's about releasing tension in muscles that have tightened up from sitting, sleeping, or old patterns of movement.

If you don't have a foam roller, a few minutes of gentle self-massage on the thighs and upper back achieves a similar effect.

2. Kneeling hip flexor stretch — 45 seconds per side

Get into a half-kneeling position — one knee on the floor, the other foot forward with the knee at 90 degrees. Gently squeeze the glute on the side of the knee that's on the floor and shift your hips slightly forward until you feel a stretch at the front of that hip. Hold and breathe.

Modification: place a folded towel or pad under the knee for comfort. If getting to the floor is difficult, a standing hip flexor stretch against a wall achieves a similar result.

This one matters enormously for people who sit for long periods. Tight hip flexors pull the pelvis forward, stress the lower back, and shut down the glutes, which then forces the knees and lower back to compensate during every lower body movement you perform.

3. Glute bridges — 10 to 15 reps

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and the small of your back gently pressed into the mat. Squeeze your glutes first — before you lift — and then drive your hips toward the ceiling. Lower slowly and repeat.

The key word here is squeeze. Most people perform this movement by pushing through their feet and using their lower back. The goal is to train the glutes to do the work. If you feel this primarily in your hamstrings or back, reduce the range of motion and focus on the contraction first.

Modification: reduce the range of motion or perform a seated glute squeeze if lying on the floor is uncomfortable.

4. Thoracic spine rotations — 8 reps per side

Lie on your side in a relaxed position with both arms extended forward and your knees stacked. Keeping your knees together, take your top arm and slowly rotate it up and over to the opposite side, letting your head follow the movement.

Go only as far as is comfortable, hold for a breath or two and return.

This opens up the mid-back — an area that becomes increasingly restricted with age and contributes significantly to shoulder, neck, and lower back problems. Ten minutes of desk work can undo it, which is why this movement belongs in every warm-up.

Modification: reduce the range of rotation and avoid forcing the shoulder toward the floor.

5. Lateral lunges — 8 reps per side

Stand tall and step one foot out to the side. Bend that knee and shift your weight onto it, keeping the opposite leg straight. Think of it as sitting back into the hip rather than dropping straight down. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.

This prepares the hips and inner thighs for multi-directional movement — a pattern most adults almost never train but use constantly in daily life when stepping over things, getting in and out of vehicles, or catching themselves from a stumble.

Modification: hold a chair or counter for balance. Reduce the depth of the lunge to a comfortable range.

6. Bodyweight squats — 10 reps

Stand with feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back, keep your chest up, and lower yourself as far as your mobility comfortably allows. Drive through your heels to return to standing.

This is the movement that ties the warm-up together — it integrates everything you've just activated and prepares the pattern you'll likely be training in some form during your workout.

Modification: squat to a chair or bench to control the depth and build confidence in the pattern.

7. Arm circles — 30 seconds forward, 30 seconds backward

Standing tall, rotate both arms in large circular motions. This lubricates the shoulder joint and increases blood flow through the upper body before any pressing or pulling movements.

Why this matters more than you might think

The warm-up is where injuries are prevented. Not by chance — by design.

Every element of this routine exists to put your body in a state where it can work hard without breaking down.

I've trained clients in Edmonton who came to me after avoidable injuries — strains, tweaks, and setbacks that happened not because the workout was too hard but because the body wasn't ready for it.

A proper warm-up doesn't guarantee you'll never get hurt. But it dramatically reduces the likelihood, and at a stage of life where recovery takes longer and setbacks cost more, that reduction is worth every one of those ten minutes.

If you're not sure whether your current training approach is set up to keep you healthy and progressing over the long term, that's worth a conversation.

Book a free consultation at shanekokas.com/contact