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Guidelines for Warming Up
Warming up promotes safety, prevents injury, and increases performance. You should warm up with the purpose of creating blood flow throughout the body and thus preparing your muscles for the workout.
First, before beginning your weightlifting session, do some form of cardiovascular exercise at a light, comfortable intensity for about five to ten minutes. Walking or riding a bicycle works well. When you've completed your warm-up, be sure to stretch the primary muscles you've been using. For example, if you warmed up on the bicycle, stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hips.
Then, before your first exercise for each muscle group, do a warm-up set with a very light weight for 12-20 repetitions. For example, if your first chest exercise is the bench press, do a warm-up set with a very light weight and then continue with your selected chest routine. When you have completed your chest workout and are ready to train the next muscle group, once again do a warm-up set; then continue training that muscle group, and so on.
 Stretching Guidelines
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