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Does anyone have any good ideas for warm up routines?
As in, something a bit different to 10 minutes on cardio machines etc. which is what I normally do.

In particular I'm interested in anything that does not involve the lower body as I'm injured and can only train upper body/core for the time being.
(So no running, bikes, rowing, cross trainer... )

I try and mix up my warm ups from time to time, unfortunately a lot of it does involve lower body work, jogging, skipping etc

Try some shadow boxing building up from light jabs and foot work if possibly to throwing fast and furious combinations along with head and body movement.

If you have to completely eradicate lower body work start with you're core work to raise body temperature then maybe try a 10 x 10 shadow boxing method... stand in a fighting stance and throw ten straight punches after that reset you're self and throw another ten do this ten times have a shake off and go again.

If I was to be really anal about warming up I'd advise first mobilization of the joints, then a 'pulse' raiser before stretching off using dynamic (with movement) stretching as this seems to be the way forward these days you find a lot of coaches abandoning static stretching in favor of dynamic (not saying static stretching is bad and I use in for warming down and flexibility quite often)

There are plenty of advantages when using dynamic stretching such as the fact you're on the move not standing still and if like me you work out out side in this weather standing there stretching you're quads etc isn't the most fun thing in the world plus it keep the heart going at the same time.

All the best

Stokey

P.S. you could also try some light movement with weights, Kettle bell swings etc just some thoughts

Stokey_14 wrote:Try some shadow boxing building up from light jabs and foot work if possibly to throwing fast and furious combinations along with head and body movement.

Just remember to bloody breathe to the rythum!
Wost thing you can do is hold your breath/stop breathing correctly when doing this. You'll be fatigued in minutes otherwise.

AJtothemax wrote:

Stokey_14 wrote:Try some shadow boxing building up from light jabs and foot work if possibly to throwing fast and furious combinations along with head and body movement.

Just remember to bloody breathe to the rythum!
Wost thing you can do is hold your breath/stop breathing correctly when doing this. You'll be fatigued in minutes otherwise.

You'll only breath wrong once during a tough boxing session before you understand the importance of oxygen intake... or breath in when taking one to the gut, trying to move and fight with no wind in you is the lest fun thing in the world.

Stokey

I've always found skipping a good warm up,but without your legs there's not much you can do to warm up,maybe try dumbbell swings?If its for strength training as in weights,then just do a few sets with light weights firsts before your proper sets.Whatever you do,do dynamic as opposed to static stretching before,and you have to make sure you warm your muscles up thoroughly and get the blood flowing before you start.

Just warm up a few light sets of the exercise your going to do. The usual 10 min plods and stretching can sometimes be counter productive to the aims of the session, although this is entirely dependable on what the aims of the session are/were.

Thanks guys, the above is all very helpful!
Much appreciated.