Coach Tips: Warm Up for Testing

Introduction

Testing phases are common on any functional training programme, women’s training programme, or functional bodybuilding programme. This short form article will present some tips on how to adequately prepare your body prior to testing. This will of course vary depending on what it is being tested but the below can be followed as a template.

Warming up for testing

Start with a general warm up to:

1. Increase blood flow.
2. Mobilise the body - loosening up muscles and joints.
3. Begin to focus your mind on the task at hand.

Then move on to a specific warm up:

1. Focus on the movement pattern/s you are going to be testing.
2. Spend extra time mobilising and areas that are particularly tight for you.
3. Perform exercises that will engage the muscles you are about to use for testing to ensure blood flow has increased to these areas and the muscle fibres are firing.

Then start performing the exercise you are testing based on percentages:

1. As you build the weight, drop the reps. We want to prepare the body, not fatigue it.
2. Avoid going much higher than 90% of what you aim to hit.
3. Limit your reps so you don’t make yourself too tired.
4. Rest adequately between these sets.

On the Women’s Training Programme we are testing our 8RM deadlift and have outlined how our approach to this below:

10-12 reps at ~ 50%

8-10 reps at ~ 60%

6-8 reps at ~70%

4-6 reps at ~80%

2-4 reps at ~90%

Then hit your test.

Conclusion

Of course with testing, everyone might have personal preferences or things they like to do but you definitely do not want to go into your test cold. Nail your warm up to nail your test. Whilst you’re here, make sure you check out more of our programmes, including our functional bodybuilding plan, Gain, and also our Hyrox Training Plan.