Training Habits

The First 10: Your Plan for Arriving Ready to Train

Rhema Adelaja · National Champion & 4x DUX · July 2026 · 6 min read

Stop wasting the start of every session. This is your guide to creating a simple, 10-minute pre-training activation routine that gets your body and mind ready before the team warm-up even begins.

I remember the feeling well. It was a cold Tuesday night at the track. I had sprinted from my last university lecture to catch the bus, arriving at the stadium with only minutes to spare. I threw my bag down, quickly changed my shoes, and jogged onto the track just as my coach started the group warm-up.

I was there physically. But my mind was still on my coursework and my body was stiff from sitting in a lecture hall. The first few drills felt awful. I was clumsy. My legs felt heavy. I wasted the first twenty minutes of a valuable session just trying to catch up. You have probably felt this way too. You show up, but you are not truly ready.

We are going to fix that. The solution is a personal, repeatable 10-minute routine you do on your own, before the official warm-up even starts. This is your pre-training activation routine. It is the habit that separates the serious athlete from the one just going through the motions.

Why the Team Warm-Up Is Not Enough

Your coach has a plan for the team. The group warm-up is designed to prepare everyone to a basic level. It has to work for the whole squad, from the most flexible athlete to the stiffest. It is, by design, generic.

But you are not generic. You have your own body, with its own history of injuries, its own tight spots, and its own specific needs. Perhaps your left hip is always tighter than your right. Maybe your shoulders feel stiff after a day of writing notes. The team warm-up will not address these personal details. Waiting for the coach to tell you what to do is leaving your preparation to chance.

Taking ten minutes for yourself before the session is not about being antisocial. It is about being a professional. It is a declaration that you are taking ownership of your performance. It signals to yourself, your teammates, and your coaches that you came to work. Your session does not start when the whistle blows. It starts when you arrive.

The Science of Being Ready

There is clear evidence behind this practice. A proper warm-up does more than just make you feel ready. It creates real, measurable changes in your body that lead to better performance. The key is to focus on dynamic movement, not static stretching.

Static stretching is when you hold a stretch for a long time, like touching your toes for 30 seconds. This can actually reduce power and speed if you do it right before a session. Dynamic movements, like leg swings or arm circles, are what you need. They actively prepare your body for sport.

Research shows that a good activation routine increases your core body temperature. This helps your muscles contract faster and produce more force. It also wakes up your nervous system, leading to better reaction time and coordination. One study on university baseball players found that a dynamic warm-up routine led to them jumping nearly two inches higher in a vertical jump test compared to those who did static stretches. That is a real, physical improvement from just a few minutes of focused work.

A short, dynamic routine prepares your body for explosive movements. A wide review of studies confirmed that a dynamic warm-up of seven to ten minutes significantly improves explosive lower-limb performance. This is not about motivation. It is about physiology. You are preparing your body's engine to perform at its best from the very first minute.

How to Build Your 10-Minute Routine

Your pre-training activation routine does not need to be complicated. In fact, simple is better because it means you will actually do it. It should be personal to you and your sport. Think of it in three simple phases.

Phase 1: Raise Your Temperature (2-3 minutes)

The goal here is simple. You want to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow to your muscles. This is light cardiovascular work. It should feel easy. You are not trying to get tired. Choose one or two simple exercises.

Phase 2: Mobilise Your Joints (4-5 minutes)

Now you will move your joints through their full range of motion. This is where you do your dynamic stretching. The movement should be controlled and smooth. You are lubricating your joints and telling your muscles that they are about to work. Focus on the areas most important for your sport.

Phase 3: Activate Key Muscles (2-3 minutes)

The final phase is the most specific. Here, you will perform movements that mimic what you are about to do in your training session. You are waking up the exact muscle groups you are about to rely on. This connects your brain to your body and refines your coordination before the pressure is on.

If you are a footballer, this could be some light dribbling or short passes against a wall. If you are a basketball player, it could be form shooting close to the basket. If you are a swimmer, it could be shoulder activation exercises with a resistance band. Make it relevant to what you are about to do.

Making It Your Habit

A perfect routine on paper is useless. The power comes from consistency. This 10-minute ritual must become a non-negotiable part of your training behaviour. It is not something you do when you feel like it. It is something you do because it is who you are.

To make it stick, you need to plan. Pack your bag the night before. Set your alarm ten minutes earlier. Decide exactly what your routine will be before you get to the training ground. Remove any decision-making. Make showing up early and doing your activation the easiest choice you can make.

After a few weeks, you will not even think about it. It will become part of your identity as an athlete. The feeling of being properly prepared will be its own reward. You will feel the difference in those first drills. You will feel more fluid, more powerful, and more confident. That is the return on your small investment of ten minutes.

Your task this week is simple. Build the first version of your pre-training activation routine. Choose just one exercise for each of the three phases. Write them down. Then, before your next three training sessions, arrive ten minutes early and do them. That is it. Start there, and build from it.