Post 2: Warm-Up Like an Athlete — The 10-Minute Routine That Changes Everything

A warm-up isn’t just about “getting loose.” It’s about preparing your nervous system and joints to produce force safely.

And if you’re trying to train consistently this year, this is one of the easiest wins you can lock in.

What a warm-up actually does

A good warm-up improves:

• joint range of motion (temporarily)

• coordination and timing

• muscle activation

• tissue temperature and elasticity

• nervous system readiness

Translation: you move better, lift better, and reduce injury risk.

The biggest warm-up mistake

Most people do one of two extremes:

1. No warm-up → jump right into heavy work

2. Random stretching → spend 15 minutes doing things that don’t match the workout

Instead, your warm-up should follow a simple progression:

The 4-part warm-up (5–10 minutes)

1) Raise temperature (1–2 minutes)

Pick something simple:

• brisk walk

• bike

• jumping jacks

• light rower

Goal: mild sweat, breathing slightly elevated.

2) Mobilize what you actually need (2–3 minutes)

For most adults (and especially golfers), the priorities are:

• hips (rotation + hinge)

• thoracic spine (upper back rotation/extension)

• shoulders (overhead, push and pull patterns)

• ankles (for squat, lunge, athletic posture)

3) Activate stability (2–3 minutes)

This is where you “wake up” the support system:

• glutes

• core

• scapular stabilizers

4) Groove the pattern (1–2 minutes)

Before you load a squat, hinge, press, or rotation, do a few reps with:

• bodyweight

• a light dumbbell

• a band

This tells your brain: This is the pattern we’re using today.

Why golfers need this even more

Golf is rotational, but power comes from the ground up:

• feet/ankles control the ground

• hips create torque

• core transfers energy

• shoulders/arms deliver speed

If you skip warm-up, you often “create speed” by stealing motion from the low back or shoulders—and that’s when the aches show up.

Bottom line

A warm-up is not extra. It’s the price of admission for training hard without breaking down.

If you want consistency this year, start here.

Warm-Up Tune-Up at TMI

In one session, we’ll:

• show you how to use the foam roller (what to hit, what to skip)

• teach a dynamic warm-up that matches your goals (gym, golf, or both)

• give you a simple routine you can repeat in 8–12 minutes

• make sure you’re activating the right muscles before you load or swing

Book your Warm-Up Tune-Up: 817-523-9590 | tmitherapy.com