How to get 10% stronger in 30 seconds

Use these warm-up tricks to unleash your muscles' full potential

Listen up deskophiles:

Here lies the key to switching your body back on after months of office living. When pushed, your muscles will work very, very hard, but still only at about 90% of their capacity. Holding them back is a fibrous nuisance called myofascial tension, which is especially bad if you spend your day hunched over a keyboard. Myofascial release, as this technique is known, manipulates the fascia to alleviate trigger points – relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles. In short, you’ll be unlocking previously closed off levels of strength almost instantly. Get your iPod at the ready, because listening to Getting Stronger from Rocky is mandatory during the warm-up below. Perform it immediately before resistance exercise.

1: Strengthen your chest

Place a tennis ball between your left pec and a wall. Move side-to-side to roll the ball from your shoulder to the centre of your chest. Focus on any tender areas. This improves shoulder strength and mobility. Repeat on the right side.

2: Protect your back

Lie with two tennis balls under your back, either side of your spine. Point one arm at the ceiling and the other arm behind your head. Alternate 10 times. This will increase your power in overhead lifting exercises such as presses.


3: Power up your legs

Sit on a foam roller with your left foot touching the floor, and the right foot resting across your left thigh. Tilt onto your backside and roll forwards and backwards 10 times. This loosens up your glutes and preps your hips for squats and deadlifts.

Source: menshealth.co.uk