We’re all pressed for time, right? So the natural tendency is to want to jump right in and get that workout done. But failing to take some necessary precautions beforehand could lead to injury or worse. Here are five things you should do before every workout:

1. Fuel up 60 to 90 minutes before training. Ever try driving your car on empty? Doesn’t get you very far down the road. Similarly, some people arrive at the gym without being fueled for their workouts. Whether you exercise first thing in the morning or later in the day, the misguided notion that training on an empty stomach burns more fat will only do you a disservice.

At best, your training will suffer because your body is starved and cannot perform at its best. At worst, you’ll run out of energy and possibly become hypoglycemic. A pre-exercise meal will load up your body’s stores of muscle glycogen, the source of energy and stamina you’ll need for your workout. It will also rev up your metabolism by stimulating protein synthesis.

Your pre-exercise meal should consist of slow-burning carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal or sweet potatoes. Avoid fast-acting carbs like fruit or candy bars. They cause the blood glucose to spike and then crash. Even if your workout is first thing in the morning, break the 8-12 hour fast with a scoop of whey protein in a glass of milk. This will provide the nutrients you need for your morning exercise.

2. Get mentally prepared for exercise. Anything done well should be done with attention to detail, which takes focus. If you want to perform well in your workout, then mentally prepare for it. Visualize yourself executing your lifts during your exercise routine. Imagine setting new personal bests. Going through some mental preparation will not only get your mind in the game, it will stimulate the release of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine, those central nervous system hormones that provide that “adrenaline rush” and get you ready for “fight or flight.”

3. Foam roll your muscles beforehand. Pro athletes use foam rollers to break up knots in muscles, improve tendon blood flow and increase mobility. You too can use the “poor man’s massage” and, in just 10 minutes or less, feel more limber and be able to perform exercises more effectively. It’s easy to do. Just slide the foam roller under one of your calves and in a sitting position on the floor, guide your body back and forth over the foam roller. After 6-8 times, switch to the other calf. If you have other tense muscles, use medium pressure on the foam roller until the tension dissipates. Remember, the foam roller is effective on muscles, but don’t foam roll over joints (especially the back of your knees).

4. Do dynamic mobility work 5-10 minutes before training. Contemporary thinking suggests never stretching a cold muscle, so static stretching (stretch and hold) is great if done after the workout. Prior to training, a short series of dynamic mobility exercises, full body movements where the stretch is held only momentarily in each position, can produce greater mobility and flexibility. Some effective dynamic mobility exercises include the Side-Lying Extension-Rotation for thoracic spine mobility, the Elbow-to-Instep Stretch, which activates the hamstrings, calves and glutes, and the Scapular Wall Slide for the scapula and shoulders. Use a search engine to find demonstrations of each one.

5. Do a muscle-specific warm-up before each set. Perform a warm-up set at 40 to 70 percent of your one-rep max at the beginning of each of the major lifts you plan to do. These warm-up sets will activate the muscle tendon-nerve units, priming the body for the more vigorous lifts that follow. They will also help prevent injury. A general rule of thumb is the closer to your max you are attempting to lift, the more warm-up sets you should do.