Are you one of those people who tends to neglect the little parts of your workouts, like warm-up exercises and mobility and accessory work? You need to quit that! These can be some of the most crucial aspects of your training if you’re really looking to take it to the next level and see better results. Cold muscles don’t take well to movement, so start your workout with 3-5 minutes of light jogging, rowing, biking or another activity that will raise your core body temperature. Then get into some dynamic stretching movements, which means carefully stretching your muscles in a controlled, but active motion.
Keep reading for a list of super effective warm-up exercises that can really kick your training up a notch.
1. Duck Walk
This one is a doozy and certainly takes some pre-requisite flexibility, but it is an awesome warm-up exercise especially on those leg-focused days. Focus on maintaining an upright chest, while keeping a squat position throughout the entirety.
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2. Cuban Press
This exercise can be used as either a warm-up or a finisher on your upper body days. However, we like to include it with some light weight prior to training sessions from time to time, as it helps prevent injuries by allowing the shoulders and rotator cuffs to warm up. Keep the weight super light, and remember… you’re just warming up.
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3. Jump Squats
This exercise will really get your legs warmed up while also warming up your explosive side. They’re especially powerful on days where you’ll be performing exercises such as box jumps and Olympic lifting.
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4. Spider Lunges
These will help open your hips, hamstrings and lower back. They can be done with a little bit of speed such as in the video, or taken a little bit slower and held in position for 2-3 seconds. If you’re feeling some discomfort, slow things down and don’t go to the point of it hurting you. Make sure you focus on your breathing while in the lunge, and only go to the point of stretching, not hurting.
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NASM-CPT (@breyfit9)5. Scap Pull-Ups
Shown in the video are some beautifully performed scapula or scap pull-ups. Essentially these are performed the same way as normal pull-ups, without breaking at the elbow. It forces you to really engage your latissimus dorsi, or lat muscles, which are one of the primary movers in any pull-up variation. Think about pulling your shoulder blades together and keep your ears away from your shoulders.
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6. Prone Scorpions
These are great for warming up the mid-line of the body, a plane that most people often neglect and overlook. Take these nice and slow, hold for a few seconds and switch to the other side. You are bringing your leg across your body which in turn opens up those hip flexors as well.
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7. Dead Bug
Dead Bugs are one of our favorite exercises for warming up your core muscles and understanding your body awareness, which tends to be a huge problem among avid gym goers. Make sure you don’t arch your lower back while performing these, so aim to keep your whole back on the ground throughout the entirety of this warm-up. Slow and controlled is the name of the game!
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8. Inch Worms
This movement is fantastic for warming up the lower back and hamstrings, especially on days where you plan on putting your legs through the works. You can also add a push-up at the bottom of it like shown in the video. Keep a slight bend in your knee while walking your hands out to a plank position and avoid arching your lower back by making sure you keep your core tight.
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9. Good Mornings
This is another great exercise for warming up your lower back and hamstrings. It can be performed with weight like shown (however, it is a warm up, so keep it light) or without weight, again in a nice, slow and controlled motion.
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10. Cosack Squat
This is a really good exercise to loosen up your groin, and also get your hips and hamstrings moving. Make sure you’re maintaining good posture by keeping your chest up while descending into the cosack squat, or side lunge. Only go as deep as your body will allow. Once you become more advanced, adding some weight like shown in the video is a great option, but again remember, this is a warm up. Don’t push it too hard before your workout even starts.
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It’s key to remember these movements are used to get the body prepared for what you are about to put it through during your workout. Pushing it to the limit with these will increase your risk of injury, especially if your body isn’t warmed up properly. Take your time moving through these movements and make sure you’re focusing on moving properly. Happy training!
Looking for more training tips? Check out Passive Vs. Active Stretching.
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