It is very essential to understand that before starting any rigorous exercises, it is important to adhere to warm up sessions that helps the body and the muscles to relax and open up for the physical activity that follows. Though, a warm up exercise session is only for 5 minutes, the significance of the process cannot be denied for the safety of the body and the prevention of injuries that it brings along. In fact, according to professionals, warm up exercises helps you feel the following activities much easier and effective as well for your body. Once you are aware of the benefits, you need to realize that warm up exercises need not be boring and dull. You can explore a whole lot of new and exclusive warm up exercises to keep the routine interesting.
To know about the top notch and the most efficient set of warm up exercises, you can keep reading this guide below. It has some of the best ones to pick in combinations and follow on a regular scale for maximum advantage.
Why Do we Need to Warm up?
Warm up exercises gently and gradually prepare the body for a workout or rigorous exercise routine. It gradually increases the heart rate and circulation and also loosens the joins. It pumps the required amount of blood to the muscles and prepared these muscles for a workout by stretching them.
Warming up includes a range of cardiovascular exercises, stretching and drills. They slowly increase the body temperature and get the heart rate up. Sudden movements without warming up can cause injury.
Warming up before a game, also helps the players prepare for their game mentally and supports team work when done together. A warm up session can last anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes depending on the workout routine or game.
Here’s a list of warm up exercises for beginners and some basic warm up exercises:
1. On Spot Marching:
One of the easy ways to warm up in an efficient manner is to march on spot. This should be done for around 3 minutes in which forward marching and backward marching can also be included. The arms should be in rhythm with the legs. The fists should however be soft.
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2. Heel Digs Exercise:
Alternate heels needs to be placed in the front where the foot is in such a way that it points upwards. With this, the supporting leg should be bent a little. With each dig you need to punch out properly for the warm exercise.
3. Knee Lifts Warm Up:
Alternate heels needs to be placed in the front where the foot is in such a way that it points upwards. With this, the supporting leg should be bent a little. With each dig you need to punch out properly for the warm exercise.
4. Rolling Shoulders:
Keep marching and rolling the shoulders at once. First move the shoulders forward and then backward. This should be done 5 times each in two sets for a good warm up session. The arm can hang loose.
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5. Bend the Knee:
Bend the knee well while standing with the feet and shoulder apart and the hands in the front stretched out well. Bend for about 10 cm then come up in the resting position and repeat it again for the next 10 times.
6. Rope Jumping:
Use a jumping rope and make rapid jumps up and down where the pressure should be on the feet and the ankles and not on the knees for the next 2-3 minutes as a good warm up exercise before any physical activity.
7. Jumping Jacks:
The arms should be over the head when the legs are spread apart after jumping and then down near the hips when you come back to the resting position. This is a famous warm up exercise for the entire body that you can adhere to.
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8. Walking Lunge With Stretch:
Keep the belly button straight and move one of the legs behind while bending the other leg. Make sure you stretch the leg behind in a proper way. Repeat with the other leg for successful warm up. This can be done for 30 second to 1 minute in combination with others here.
9. V Jumps:
The opposite foot and the arm is what you need to start with while keeping them in the front. Take small jumps and then alternate with the other hand and legs during the jump.
In this article, we are going to list down warm up exercises based on the workout type and give you can exercise warm up ideas:
Warm Up Exercises Before Running:
Here are a few warm up exercises that you can follow before you start running:
1. Hip Flexor Stretch:
- Stand straight
- Flex your hip and knee towards your chest
- Swing the opposite arm
- Lower your leg
- Repeat on the other leg.
2. Leg Flexor Stretch:
- Straight with one arm forward
- Gently bend your knee at a right angle in the front and ensure your thigh is parallel to the ground
- Swing the opposite arm back and the other arm forward
- Contract your quadriceps and straighten your leg.
- Come back to the standing position
- Repeat on the other leg.
3. Plantar Flexor Stretch:
- Stand upright with your arms on your hip
- Raise your foot a few inches above the ground
- Ensure your knee is straight
- Flex your foot with the toes pointing up
- Bring it back to the standing position
- Repeat on the other leg.
4. Leg Extensor Stretch:
- Bend your knee behind you by tightening your hamstring.
- Raise your heel to your butt as you swing one arm forward and the other back
- Straighten your leg
- Repeat on the other leg.
5. Hip Extensor Stretch:
- From your hips, hinge forward
- Raise your foot and bring your knee in the front while you swing the opposite arm forward, like a running stance
- Maintain the same stance while you stretch your leg behind you
- Come back to your standing position
- Repeat on the other leg.
Warm Up Exercises Before Gym:
A proper warm before any workout is recommended to ease the muscle and gradually work them out. Follow these top 5 exercises before you start your workout at the gym:
1. Head and Shoulder Rolls:
- Place your hands on your hips.
- With your back straight, roll your shoulders forward, then upward and then backward.
- For your head, rotate your head completely slowly and gently, clockwise and then repeat counter clockwise.
- Next, turn your head from one side to the other.
2. Upper Body Twists:
- Standing with your feet at should width apart is the starting position for this workout.
- Bend your arms in front of you.
- Now, turn your body, torso and hip to one side.
- Hold for a couple of seconds and come back to the starting position.
- Now, turn to the other side and repeat.
- Repeat this about 8 times on each side.
3. Hip Circles:
- Standing with your feet at should width apart is the starting position for this workout.
- Move your hip out and rotate from one side to the other and then forward and back and rotate back to the center.
- Ensure your hips, waist and upper body are being moved.
- This is similar to the hula-hoop movement.
- Try this clockwise and then counter clockwise.
4. Arm Circles:
- Stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder level with the shoulders down. This is your starting position.
- With your arms straight, rotate your arms clockwise.
- Your wrist must also be at the same level as your arm.
- Start with small circles and gradually increase it to bigger circles.
- Take it up a notch by rotating in opposite directions simultaneously.
5. March in your Place:
- Raise one leg off the ground. Your leg must not be higher than your waist.
- Bend the opposite elbow at 90 and bring it forward to the level of your chest.
- Your fist must be loosely clenched.
- Assume starting position.
- Repeat on the other leg.
General tip stay hydrated and spend more time during winters to warm up. You could also try out some yoga warm up exercises before workout.
Warm Up Exercises Before Yoga:
Try to arrive early for your yoga class and try out some of these stretches on your mat. It is always a good idea to go through a few poses stretches to prepare your body physically for a yoga class.
1. Pelvic Tilts:
- Start by lying down on your back and knees bent.
- Press your back gently against the floor and tilt your pelvis towards you and then release.
- It sounds simple, but if your back is stiff, doing this warm up will help loosen it for your other asanas.
2. Leg Stretch:
- Lie down on your back.
- Slowly work your legs up perpendicular to the floor.
- You could raise one leg at a time or both.
- Whilst doing this, ensure your knees are straight and that could be a challenge. Don’t sweat. You can keep your knees bent until you’re able to straighten them out.
- This stretches out your hamstrings, calves, feet and ankles.
3. Eye of the Needle Pose:
- Remain on your back.
- Cross your ankle over the opposite knee.
- If your hip is stiff, this pose will loosen it.
- You can slowly move your knee towards your body for a bigger stretch.
4. The Easy Pose:
- Sit cross-legged in a comfortable position.
- Place a couple of blankets and sit on it so that your knees are lower than your hips.
- Do the neck rolls.
- Drop your chin to your chest and then turn to your left and then to your right.
- Doing this will ease all tension and stiffness.
5. Child’s Pose:
- Gently sit down on your knees in a resting position.
- Place your palms on the floor with your elbows straight.
- Else, you could reach out your arms with palms downwards.
- Place your chest on your thighs and hold for 45 seconds at least.
- As your exhale, relax your arms and body.
- Then place your palms under your shoulders and slowly raise your body.
Warm Exercises for Kids:
Children don’t enjoy boring and static stretches and they don’t help them one bit. Dynamic warm up exercises are stretching with a variety of range in motion and above all – it is fun. Here is the top 5 warm up exercises for kids:
1. Jumping Jacks:
- Power up with jumping jacks. Stand upright with your hands to the side.
- Jump up with your feet apart and bring your hands together over your head.
- Jump again and return to your starting position.
- Repeat until you complete a set.
- You can start with 8-12 reps or continue for 30 seconds.
2. Walking Knee Hugs:
- Starting position stand straight with your arms on the side and legs upright.
- Slowly kick one knee up and hold it with both your hands.
- Now, gently pull it higher and hold it close to your body.
- Slowly lower your legs.
- Repeat on the other leg.
3. Arm Circles:
- Stand straight with feet apart at hip width.
- Now raise your arms our sideways to the shoulder level.
- Keep your arms straight and let the palms face downwards.
- Now, rotate your arms forward and make circles roughly the size of a football.
- Once you’ve completed 4 circles, do it counter clockwise.
4. Side Shuffles:
- Stand straight with feet apart at hip width.
- Bend your hips and knees a bit to the back with your toes pointing forward.
- Take a few quick steps to your right and then touch your right foot with your right hand.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Another variation is the squat position and taking steps.
5. Lunges Walk:
- Take one step forward with one leg.
- Now lower your hip until both your knees are bent at 90.
- Keep the weight on your heels.
- Take a step forward and repeat on the other leg.
Warm up exercises are a must before you actually start working out. They prep your body for some intense workout. These help in loosening your muscles and thus will help you be more flexible. The warm up exercises in the article have included kids too. So, it’s really time you guys start working out as a family. A healthy living is a must to a healthy heart. Start today and not see, but feel the changes in your body.
