Muscle Activation Techniques

The Mathias Method Strength System emphasizes the importance of a proper warm-up before you begin any strength training routine or workout program. This is to help decrease pain, prevent injury, and fully prepare your body for the workout ahead. This page will go over our Muscle Activation Technique Exercises for the Squat and Deadlift.

Get our complete How To Warm-Up Properly for Strength Training Guide today! And learn why you should NOT do cardio to warm-up before a weight training workout!

About Muscle Activation Techniques

First, do a complete full-body dynamic warm-up routine and lower-body warm-up exercises before you start these Muscle Activation Techniques.

Then, the next part of the Mathias Method Strength System’s warm-up uses muscle activation technique exercises, to fully prepare your muscles for the workout ahead. These muscle activation techniques teach the correct muscles to turn on, or activate, and bring blood flow to the muscles before the workout begins.

Muscle activation exercises are specific to every workout’s main strength movement. These muscle activation techniques include balance training to improve neuromuscular proprioception, or muscle activation, and joint stability.

By combining your dynamic bodyweight warm-up with these muscle activation techniques, you are improving your range-of-motion and strength in those positions.

After completing these muscle activation technique exercises, then you will be fully warmed up and ready to Squat 500+ or Deadlift 600+ pounds!

For all of our specific workout based warm-up routines, you can check out our How To Warm-Up Properly Guide.

More Warm-Up Routines

Full Body Dynamic Warm-Up Routine
Upper Body Warm-Up Exercises
Lower Body Warm-Up Exercises
Dumbbell Shoulder Warm-Up
Olympic Weightlifting Warm-Up Stretches

See all of our Mobility Stretches or Strength Training Exercises.

Muscle Activation Technique Exercises

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Reps: 10 each side

Purpose: Hamstring Activation

Hamstring activation squat warm up exercise 5

Hamstring activation squat warm up exercise 4

Hamstring activation squat warm up exercise 3

Hamstring activation squat warm up exercise 2

Hamstring activation squat warm up exercise 1

Stand erect at an arms distance away from a stable object, if needed for balance.
With a slight bend in your knee, hover one foot off the floor while maintaining a straight line from your head to that foot.
Then, lean your torso forward as you extend your opposite leg behind you.
Keep your hips square and internally rotate (toes in) your foot as it moves behind you.
Stop when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings or reach 90 degrees of hip flexion.
Pause for 2 seconds before flexing your hamstrings to return back to the starting position.

Hip Airplanes

Reps: 10 each side

Purpose: Glute Activation

Stand erect at an arms distance away from a stable object to use for balance.
Hover one foot off of the floor and lean your torso 30-45 degrees forward, keeping your raised leg in line with your torso.
Then, bend your grounded leg to a more stable position and keep your hips in line with your shoulders throughout the movement.
To start, internally rotate your raised leg’s hip inward towards your opposing knee before flexing your glute to reverse the motion, externally rotating your hip away from the opposing knee.
Control the motion with your glute and maintain a straight line from your raised foot to your head.

Bulgarian Split Squat

Reps: 10 each side

Purpose: Activate Quadriceps and Mobilize Hip Flexors

Bulgarian split Squat hip mobility Exercise 3

Bulgarian split Squat hip mobility Exercise 2

Bulgarian split Squat hip mobility Exercise 1

Start by standing erect and placing the ball of one foot on a raised surface (6-12 inches) behind you.
While maintaining a vertical torso, hips square and your glutes activated, dip your raised knee down until you feel a stretch in your anterior thigh, or reach 90 degrees of knee flexion in your front leg.
Hold this position for two seconds before flexing back to the start position.
To increase the stretch further, raise the surface higher or put your front foot out in front of you farther.
Do not let your front knee go over your toes at any point.

When you finish these muscle activation technique exercises, then you will be fully warmed up and ready to Squat 500+ or Deadlift 600+ pounds!