.png){kind=spacer}
.webp){kind=spacer}
If you arrive at TandEm in Balcatta a few minutes early, you will notice something. Nobody walks in and goes straight under a barbell. Everyone moves first. The warm-up is not a formality, and it is one of the most useful parts of the hour.
A good warm-up does three simple things. It raises your body temperature and gets your heart rate up gently. It takes your joints through the ranges of motion you are about to use. And it rehearses the movements in the workout at a light, easy pace, so the first heavy or fast rep is not your first rep of the day.
That last point matters most for beginners. The warm-up is where your coach can watch how you move, offer a cue, and adjust the session before the clock starts.
Every session is different, but the shape is familiar. Here is what you will usually see:
It is rarely longer than 10 to 15 minutes. It is also never a race. Moving well is the goal, not moving fast.
Our 5am, 6am and 5pm classes fill with people fitting training around work, and the 9:30am class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday often suits parents on the school run or people working from home. Whichever time you choose, arriving a few minutes before the warm-up starts is a small habit with a big payoff. You settle in, you meet the people around you, and you start the workout feeling ready rather than rushed.
If you do run late, tell your coach. They will give you a shorter version so you are still prepared before the workout begins.
Just like the workout itself, the warm-up scales to you. If a drill feels awkward, your coach will offer a simpler version. If your shoulders feel tight on a given day, there is usually another way to open them up. You will never be the only one adjusting something.
Over time you will learn what your own body needs. Some people like a few extra minutes on the rower. Others like extra hip drills before squats. Your coach can help you work out what suits you.
You can borrow the idea on days you head out for a walk or a run along the Swan River. Start easy for five minutes. Move your shoulders, hips and ankles through their full, comfortable range. Then build up. It is a simple routine, and it makes any session feel better.
Every new member starts with our compulsory Fundamentals program: three one-hour sessions, $220, booked around you outside regular class times. Part of Fundamentals is learning how a warm-up works, so by the time you join a regular class you already know what to do and why. Remember that we recommend a minimum of three sessions a week. Training that often is what lets your body adapt, so you feel less sore, improve steadily, and stay motivated.
Afterwards, the Wooden Spoon Café next door is a good place to sit down with a coffee or a whole-foods meal, with paleo and gluten-free options on the menu.
TandEm is at 2/76 Erindale Rd, Balcatta, and we welcome members from right across the northern suburbs, including Scarborough, North Beach, Marmion, Stirling, Innaloo and Osborne Park.
Ready to see what a TandEm session looks like? Book your free fitness consultation and we will talk you through Fundamentals, the class times that suit you, and how every workout scales to your current fitness. We are at 2/76 Erindale Rd, Balcatta, or call 0402 324 368.
.webp){kind=spacer}