“Confession,” Gabriella told me, “I‘m not a fan of warming up. It’s slow. It’s less exciting. It feels unproductive when I’m anxious to get going with the workout.”

So, clearly I had not made a compelling case for *the warmup* to my client, a strong willed no-nonsense financial advisor. Typically we spend almost one-third of her session priming her body for the intense stuff. [PS: That would be a big portion of the workout to waste, right?!]

She knew the facts: by increasing her body temperature she observed greater flexibility in her muscles and range of motion about her joints, which may have led to a small increase in her performance later in the session. But, this was not enough for Gabriella to fully appreciate the initial phase of each workout.

So we spent some time talking about how the warmup serves as an opportunity to make a short-term investment in the functionality of our bodies. If neglected, the overly sore joints and tight backs show up inevitably and immediately.

The more important purpose here is that of a long-term investment in Gabriella’s health and body mechanics. I’m concerned about her body being ALIGNED: I want her pelvis stable and in neutral position through ALL the jumping, squatting, hinging, stepping and lifting - in the gym and in daily LIFE. If not, we risk generating shear forces - repeatedly - which could do damage to her ankles, knees, hips, back and shoulders.

I owe it to Gabriella’s future self to insist on every workout beginning with a set of dynamic stretches, a joint mobility sequence and core activation exercises. Her ability to move well dictates her quality of life (as does yours!), so a few minutes getting it all aligned is like money in the bank, with a substantial ROI.

The preparation phase of the workout is non-negotiable. Now Gabriella agrees.