Strength training can do wonders for your overall health, but that doesn’t mean it comes without risks. Without closely listening to your body or using proper technique, you can quickly strain a muscle or even tear a ligament, which can pull you out of the gym altogether.  

This is why a proper warmup is an essential part of any training routine, no matter what kind of exercise you’re engaging in. A few minutes of intentional warmup movement can be what saves you from serious Injury. 

Medical fitness experts at the top of their game share the best advice for pre-workout exercises to avoid Injury. Dive into the details!  

What Is the Purpose of Pre-Workout Warm-Up?  

When it comes to physical activity, jumping into the deep end isn’t a great idea. Going full force from the start is a surefire way to hurt yourself. It’s much safer and more effective to ease in with a proper warm-up.  

When warming up, the goal should be to activate the muscle groups that you will use when training. This helps your muscles push harder for maximum benefits during your workout.  

A good warmup will: 

• Activate the supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments to maintain proper form and move functionally  
• Increase blood flow to oxygenate the cells within the muscles  
• Boost mental clarity and preparedness to attack your workout  

If you are dealing with pain that has kept you away from the gym for too long, you’d likely benefit from Muscle Activation Technique with our experts. Reach out to learn more!  

The Issue with Skipping Warmups   

While warmups aren’t always the most exciting aspect of your workout, they’re absolutely crucial and should never be ignored.  

If you skip a solid warmup, you won’t get the best results from your workout since you can’t push your muscles safely to their limits.   

What’s worse is you will likely strain your body and increase the chance of getting seriously hurt. 

Before you get into your workout, your muscles are cold and your joints are stiff. Chances are you’ve either just gotten out of bed or have been sitting at a desk for a decent chunk of the day. Your body isn’t ready to endure the kind of stress created by exercise.  

Are Warming Up and Stretching the Same Thing?  

Stretching is part of your warm-up, but it isn’t your entire warm-up. You should loosen your muscles and increase your joint range of motion with the correct dynamic exercises, but you also need to get the cardiovascular system flowing. Light cardio, like running, power walking, or cycling are great options to put your heart to work. Static Stretching should never be part of your warmup, as studies show it can do more harm than good. 

You also want to complete warmup exercises to activate the muscles you intend to target. This will prepare them for heavy lifting or power movements,  

Dynamic Exercises Before You Workout   

Dynamic stretches are active exercises to move your muscles through their full range of motion. They increase muscle temperature and reduce stiffness , which helps improve: 

• Speed 
• Agility 
• Acceleration 

Here are the best dynamic movements to prepare your full body for fitness. For the most well-rounded warmup, we recommend completing two or three rounds of 10 repetitions for each movement.  

Squats  

1. With your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly angled out, engage your core and bend your knees so you’re pushing your hips back and down into a ‘seated’ position 
2. Imagine your knees being pushed outward so they don’t collapse in. Keep your chest up as much as possible without arching your lower back.  
3. Stand back up engaging your glutes and hamstrings, and repeat. 

High Knees  

1. With a straight posture and feet hip-distance apart, lift one knee toward your chest.  
2. Quickly switch to the other leg while engaging your core.  
3. Continue this back-and-forth movement for 10 reps. One round of each knee up counts as one rep. 

Leg Swings  

1. While standing up straight with your hips squared forward swing one leg forward and backward in a single, fluid movement while engaging your core and legs 
2. Don’t jerk through this movement. Focus on maintaining control over this motion to avoid Injury.  
3. Repeat 10 times on the first leg and then switch to the other leg to complete one set. 

Forward Lunges   

1. Stand up straight with your core engaged. 
2. Take a big step forward with your right leg, shifting your weight so you land on your heel. 
3. Lower your body until your right thigh is aligned with the floor and your shin is perpendicular to the ground.  
4. Hold this pose momentarily with your pelvis gently tucked so you feel a stretch in your right hip flexor before pushing up back into your starting position. 

Plank Walk-Outs  

1. In a standing position with your feet hip-width apart, bend from your hips to place your hands on the floor in front of you. 
2. Shift your weight into your hands and walk forward until you are in a plank position. 
3. Keep your belly button drawn in towards your back and your glutes tight, so your body is in a straight line. 
4. Hold the position briefly, and walk your hands back up to repeat. 

Windshield Wipers   

1. Sit on your sitz bones with your legs spread as wide as comfortable out in front of you, knees bent, feet flat.  
2. With both glutes on the ground, slowly drop both knees to the right side. If they don’t touch the ground, that’s ok. Don’t push them. 
3. If you feel any discomfort, try leaning back, sliding your feet closer or further away, or not dropping your knees all the way to the ground.  
4. Draw your knees back up and lower them down to the other side. 

Arm Circles  

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended to your side parallel to the floor.  
2. With small, controlled motions, circle your arms, making the circles larger until you feel a stretch in your triceps.  
3. Reverse the direction after 10 circles. That’s one set. 

Learn More > Static vs. Dynamic Stretching  

Stretch First, Get Strong   

At Dynamic Fitness and Rehabilitation, we know there is no question about the benefits of regular exercise. However, as resilient as the body is, we need to treat it with care to keep it working functionally without Injury. This requires properly warming up with dynamic exercises.  

Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey, a seasoned athlete, or recovering from an Injury, we want to help you get back to moving and feeling your best. We will evaluate your current fitness capabilities so we can recommend the best dynamic stretches and strengthening exercises to keep your musculoskeletal system in the best shape ever.  

Schedule your first session with our M.A.T. experts today!