Before any workout, it’s important to properly warm up your body to prevent injury and improve performance. A good warm-up routine should include a combination of mobility exercises, stretching, and dynamic movements. In this article, we’ll cover essential warm up exercises that you should incorporate into your workout routine.
Why Warm Up?
Warming up before a workout is crucial for several reasons:
- Increases blood flow and oxygen to muscles, preparing them for activity
- Improves joint mobility and range of motion
- Helps prevent injury by preparing muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the demands of exercise
- Enhances performance by activating the nervous system and improving muscle coordination
How to Incorporate Warm Up Exercises into Your Routine
A proper warm up exercises is essential for preventing injury and improving performance during your workouts. By incorporating these essential warm-up exercises into your routine, you’ll be able to prepare your body for the demands of exercise and get the most out of your workouts. Remember to always listen to your body and modify exercises as needed. Here are some tips to help you get started:.
- Choice 5-7 warm up exercises to get your heart rate up and prepare your muscles for activity.
- Start with mobility exercises to loosen up your joints and improve range of motion.
- Follow up with stretching exercises to improve flexibility.
- Finish with dynamic warm up exercises to get your heart rate up and prepare your muscles for activity.
- Perform each exercise for 10-15 reps or 30 seconds, depending on the exercise.
- Take your time and focus on slow and controlled movements.
- If you have any injuries or limitations, modify the exercises to suit your needs.
30 Best Warm Up Exercises to Do Before You Workout
1. Walking with knee lift
We start the warm-up by walking on the spot. Raise your knees and synchronously move your arms along your torso. Do not be too eager, start warming up at a gentle, calm pace.
How much to perform: 18-20 total knee lifts.
2. Raise arms and knees
And another soft warm-up. Continue to lift your knees, but now use your hands. Raise your arms above your head and lower them, bending at the elbows.
Repeat as many times as necessary: 18-20 total knee lifts.
Stage 2: Joint exercises
Stretching is a necessary part of the pre-workout warm-up if you don’t want to get joint problems in the future. Joint exercises are usually performed from top to bottom, starting with the neck and ending with the feet, but the order of the exercises is not important. Do not forget to do both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations.
By the way, joint exercises are useful as a regular morning exercise.
1. Head Tilts
We start the warm-up before training from the neck. Turn your head right-forward-left-forward, trying not to make sudden movements. Don’t throw your head back.
How many to do: 14-16 total.
2. Shoulder rotation
Lower your arms along your torso and start performing rotational movements with your shoulders in a circle. Gradually increase the amplitude, trying to stretch the shoulder joints well.
How much to perform: 5 rotations in one direction, then 5 rotations in the other direction.
3. Elbow Rotation
It is important to stretch the elbow joints, which are heavily loaded during upper body workouts, prior to exercise. To do this, raise your arms parallel to the floor and perform rotational movements with your forearms.
How much to perform: 5 rotations in one direction, then 5 rotations in the other direction.
4. Hand Rotations
We continue the pre-workout warm-up with hand rotations. Raise your arms above your head and begin to rotate them, flexing your shoulder joints well. Move your arms wide and amplitude, rotations should not be sluggish.
How much to perform: 5 rotations forward, then 5 rotations backward.
5. Wrist Rotation
When exercising your arms or doing planks and push-ups, do not forget to knead your wrist joints, which receive a lot of stress, well before the workout. To do this, bend your arms at the elbows and start rotating your wrists in a circle.
How much to perform: 7 turns in one direction, then 7 turns in the other direction.
6. Pelvic Rotation
Place your hands on your waist and spread your legs wider than your shoulders. Start to rotate your pelvis in a circle, as if you were trying to draw a circle with your buttocks. The feet do not come off the floor, the rotation is due to the movement of the pelvis, not the body.
How much to do: 5 turns in one direction, then 5 turns in the other direction.
7. Foot Rotation
Keep your hands on your waist and your feet close together. Lift one leg from the floor and begin to rotate it in a circle, kneading the hip joint. The knee seems to describe a circle, the torso remains stable.
How much to do: 10 total turns on both legs, first forward, then 10 total turns on both legs, backward.
8. Knee Rotation
Tilt your body, bend your knees slightly and place your palms on them. Start to rotate your knees without lifting your heels off the floor. This is an excellent exercise for warming up the knee joints, which receive a lot of stress during training.
How many to perform: 7 turns in one direction, then 7 turns in the other direction.
9. Stop rotations
Stand up straight, place hands on waist. Lift your knee. Start to rotate your foot, kneading the ankle well. Try to rotate only with the foot, keeping the lower leg and hips stationary.
How much to perform: 5 rotations in one direction and 5 rotations in the other direction on one leg, then the same on the other leg.
Stage 3: Dynamic Muscle Stretching
After joint gymnastics, there is a stage for dynamic stretching of different muscle groups. Here you will find more energetic exercises for warming up before training, which will prepare your body for loads.
1. Arm Dilator for Shoulders, Back and Chest
Stand upright with feet shoulderwide apart. Extend your arms and keep them parallel to the floor. Then cross your arms and bring them together at the chest. As you do this pre-workout warm-up, feel a nice stretch in your back between your shoulder blades.
How many to perform: 8-10 repetitions
2. Elbow Dilatation for Deltas and Shoulder Joints
Standing straight, flex elbows at right angles and raise elbows parallel to floor. Bring your hands together. Then spread your arms wide without lowering your elbows. Feel the work of the shoulder joints and the tension in the deltas (shoulder muscles) and triceps (back of the arm muscles).
How many to perform: 8-10 repetitions.
3. Arm Flexion for Biceps and Triceps
This is a very simple pre-workout warm-up exercise that will help you stretch your arm muscles – biceps and triceps. To do this, pull your straight arms back a little and begin to bend and straighten your arms at maximum amplitude.
How many to perform: 8-10 repetitions
4. Exercises for the abdominal and oblique muscles
Stand up straight with feet apart. Spread your arms until they are parallel to the floor. Begin to rotate your body alternately to the right and left. The rotation should be done by twisting the body, not by turning the pelvis. This exercise is very useful for warming up the abdominal muscles.
How many to perform: 8-10 rotations in total.
5. Lying to the side for abdominal and oblique muscles
Another effective exercise for the abdominal and oblique muscles. Place your hands on the belt and begin to bend alternately to the right and left, reaching out behind the outstretched arm. This exercise is also useful for relieving tension in the back and straightening the spine.
How many to perform: 8-10 total.
6. Arching for the Back and Spine
This is a very simple and extremely effective exercise not only for warming up before training, but also for relaxing the spine. It can be done when you feel tension and stiffness in your back. Sit in a shallow half squat, palms on your hips, with a slight arch in your back. Round the spine in the chest area, rising slightly from the squat. Then bend the back again.
How many to perform: 6-8 repetitions.
7. Squat tilt for back and shoulders
Get into a deep sumo squat with your back slightly tilted, palms on your knees. Start to bend one leg, then the other. Do this exercise to warm up before the dynamic training.
How many to perform: 6-8 repetitions in total.
8. Tilts to the floor with a U-turn
Stand up straight, arms outstretched, legs apart. Turn your body and try to touch the floor with one hand, then the other. Keep your back straight, do not strain your neck, pull your shoulders away from your ears.
How many to perform: 8-10 total.
9. Squats with lifting arms
Spread your legs wide and raise your arms up over your head. Lower the pelvis down, making a squat to parallel the hips with the floor. The arms move synchronously, going down together with the squat. During the squat, do not bring your knees forward of the toe and do not lift your heels off the floor.
If you want to use this exercise to warm up before a workout, or if you are not planning a heavy workout, you can do half-squats.
How much to perform: 8-10 repetitions.
10. Lateral Lunges to Warm Up the Legs
Stand with feet apart and arms folded across chest. Begin by squatting, shifting the weight of your body to your right leg until it is parallel to the floor, then lower into a side lunge. Left leg remains fully extended. Then straighten up and lunge with the left leg. Perform rolls in a side lunge for a quality leg warm-up before training.
How many to perform: 8-10 reps total.
11. Lunges to Warm Up the Legs
Stand upright with legs slightly narrower than shoulders. Begin to lunge backwards while simultaneously raising your arms above your head. It is not necessary to lower the knees to a right angle, in the warm-up before training an incomplete amplitude of exercises is allowed. If you find it difficult to keep your balance, you can place your hands on your belt or hold on to a wall or chair.
If you want to make this exercise easier, or if you are not planning a heavy workout, you can do half steps.
How many to perform: 8-10 total repetitions.
12. Incline to the foot for the back of the thigh
Stand upright, place right hand on waist, raise left hand above head. Move your right foot half a meter forward, supporting it on the heel, and straighten it completely. Then bend your right leg down with your back straight, touching your right sock with your left hand. Bend the left leg at the knee. Feel the stretch in the back of the thigh, hamstring and calf.
How much to perform: 5-6 inclines first on one leg, then the same amount on the other.
13. Raise Knees to Straighten Buttocks
Stand up straight, bend your arms and keep them close to you. Lift the knee of one leg and pull it up toward your chest with your hands. Feel the stretch in the glutes. Return to starting position and pull the other leg toward you.
How many to perform: 8-10 total knee pull-ups.
14. Raise Feet to Stretch Quadriceps
Stand up straight and lower your arms along your torso. Bend your leg and pull your foot up toward your buttocks with your hand. Hold for a second, stretching the quadriceps (the front of the thigh). Then return to starting position and pull the foot of the other leg toward the buttocks.
How many to perform: 8-10 foot pull-ups total.
Stage 4: Cardio warm up
In the final stage of the warm-up, we will perform some cardio exercises to warm up even more and raise the body temperature. The speed and intensity of the exercise can be increased or decreased, and the duration of the final cardio warm-up is 2-3 minutes. See the speed and pace of the exercises according to your ability.
1. Running in place with a shin overlap
Stand up straight with arms bent at the elbows, palms facing forward. Start running on the spot, lifting your legs up and letting your hands move freely along your torso. Make overhangs with your feet, as if you were trying to hit yourself on the buttocks with your heels.
How many to do: 25-30 total.
If running is contraindicated, walk on the spot at a fast pace with your knees raised (Exercise #1 in the first stage).
2. Jumping Rope
Stand up straight, bend your arms at the elbows and spread them out to the sides as if holding a rope. Begin to make light, soft jumps in place, simulating jumping rope. There is no need to jump too hard, as this is a warm-up before the workout, not the workout itself.
How much to do: 25-30 jumps.
If jumping is contraindicated to you, then continue walking on the spot at a fast pace, raising your knees high. Include your hands in the work, moving them up and down (exercise # 2 in the first stage).
3. Jump with arms and legs spread
Stand straight with legs together. As you jump, spread your legs wide and bring your arms over your head. Keep your knees slightly bent. Land gently on your toes to reduce stress on your joints. Breathe in the rhythm of your jump. These jumps are called jumping jacks and are great for warm-ups and any cardio workout.
If jumping is contraindicated, instead of jumping, alternate between putting one leg out to the side and then the other. The hands move in sync.
How many to do: 20-25 jumps.
Stage 5: Restore Breathing
Do not forget to restore breathing after doing cardio exercises by taking a deep breath and exhaling for 30-60 seconds. Choose one or both of the exercises below.
1. Recovery Breathing with Tilt
Raise your straight arms above your head and inhale deeply. As you exhale, tilt your body and arms and exhale deeply with a full chest. Feel your pulse slow and your rapid breathing calm down.
How much to do: 8-10 inclinations.
2. Recovery Breathing with Squat
This exercise is best for those who feel dizzy when they tilt their head to the floor as in the previous exercise. Sit down with your arms crossed over your chest and take a deep breath. As you exhale, straighten up completely and raise your arms above your head.
Repeat as many times as necessary: 8-10 inclines.
Keep reading:Â 18 Exercises That Show You Exactly What Muscles You Are Stretching
