In dynamic warm-ups, we start moving right off the bat. By slowly amping up the heart rate while activating various muscle groups, you promote blood flow and prevent injury, muscle cramps, and soreness.
Then progressively move toward a higher intensity and advanced variations so your body remains appropriately challenged to achieve peak performance. While static stretches are great for building flexibility and correct posture, leave these for your cool-down period.
Here are some of the best dynamic warm-up exercises:
1. Cat-Cows
Stemming from yoga, cat-cows are one of the best exercises to start your routine, even if it might not be the most glamorous. Cat-cows loosen up the back, engage the core, and deepen the breath for optimal muscle oxygenation.
- Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, keeping your shoulders above your wrists, and your hips above your knees.
- On the inhale, look up to the sky and arch your back downward, moving your belly button closer to the floor. Press your shoulder blades together and lift your tailbone.
- Hold the pose for 3-4 seconds.
- While exhaling, raise your belly and round your back like a cat. Keep your chin close to your chest and look inward to your belly button.
- Hold.
- Repeat.
Intermediate Variation: On each inhale, horizontally extend one arm forward and the opposite leg backward.
Advanced Variation: Instead of coming back to cat position, keep the knee lifted and move it toward the tip of your nose while the lifted arm moves backward.
2. Walking Knee Cradles
This is a great glute stretch and balance exercise. Complete a full 20-yard stretch without in-between steps!
- Raise your knee as far as possible, keeping your toes pointed forward.
- Hug it with both arms and pull it toward your chest.
- Hold for 3-4 seconds.
- Take a step forward.
3. Arm Circles
An excellent exercise for opening up your shoulder blades and activating blood flow toward your extremities.
- Extend your arms to the sky.
- Drop them down and spin them in large circles.
- Reverse direction after 10 spins.
- Repeat three times.
Intermediate Variation: Rotate one arm forward and the other backward at the same pace.
Pro Variation: To put another spin on the exercise, see if you can control one arm to do three cycles while the other does two!
4. Carioca
This exercise is like a side shuffle combined with steps behind the standing leg and a trunk rotation. It’s important to get the technique right before speeding up, unless your goal is to tangle yourself up like a shoelace. Imagine that you’re not only doing footwork, but you’re also squeezing out your kidneys like a sponge.
If we analyze this routine like a digital X-ray machine, we can see it consists of the following steps:
- Your right leg does regular side steps, while your left leg alternatingly steps in front of and behind it.
- With each step, twist your upper body so your right shoulder moves toward the left heel.
- Do this crossover side step for 50 yards to the right.
- Reverse direction to the left, the left leg now being the standing leg.
5. Leg Swings
This one warms up the quads and glutes while getting the hips into gear.
- Using a countertop or barre for support if available, vigorously swing one leg forward and backward. Raise the bar by gradually going higher.
- Do this 10 times and repeat for the other leg.
- While keeping it straight, lift one leg up sideways, achieving as much height as possible without overstretching.
- Repeat 10 times and switch to the other leg.
- Lift up one knee (unless you can do two) and rotate it as if drawing a circle in front of your body, all the while going through the hip’s full range of motion.
- Without touching the floor, change direction after 10 times and repeat with the other leg. Increase the size of the circles as you become more flexible.
Intermediate Variation: Wear ankle weights.
Advanced Variation: After each repetition, keep the leg at its highest point for 30 seconds.
6. Inchworms
This total body exercise is a tough one. It includes the neck, back, arms, shoulders, and abs.
- From standing, bend forward and touch your hands to the floor to walk out into a push-up position.
- Walk your feet toward your hands as closely as possible, while keeping your legs and back straight.
- Stand up and repeat for at least 10 yards. No sneaky in-betweeners, and take small steps — worms don’t do any long distance moving!
Intermediate Variation: Add a push-up between each sequence.
Advanced Variation: Add a jump after standing.
Pro Variation: Add some mountain climber steps before each push-up, bringing your knees toward your chest.
7. Jumping Jacks
The good ol’ jumping jack remains a favorite to get the blood flowing. You can do them anywhere and at any time during the day, contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
- Keeping your spine straight and your core engaged, swing your arms over your head and jump your legs outward to have your body form an X-shape. Keep the shoulders back to keep your hands and feet aligned along the same vertical plane.
- Jump back into standing position with your toes and face forward.
- Repeat 40 times.
Intermediate Variation: Crossover Jacks. Instead of swaying the arms overhead, extend them straight to your side in line with the shoulders. When jumping back to a closed position, simultaneously cross over your arms and legs.
Advanced Variation #1: Turbo Jacks. Regular JJ’s, but double tempo!
Advanced Variation #2: Press Jacks. Take a barbell, kettle bell, exercise ball, or other fitness accessories, and lift it above your head like a jack.
Pro Variation: Plyo Jacks. Instead of jumping your legs out shoulder width apart, jump off the ground and spread your legs as far out as you can. Be sure you’re ready for this one so you don’t wind up with an appointment with the X-ray machine.
8. Spiderman Lunge
This is an effective compound movement for opening the hips, engaging the arms, and stretching the quads.
- Step down into plank position with your arms driving straight down into the floor.
- Step one foot forward to the outside of the hand, knee above the ankle.
- Press your hips down to the ground, keeping your back knee 1-2 inches above the floor.
- Return to plank position.
- Repeat for 20 times while alternating legs.
Intermediate Variation: Twist your torso out, gaze upward, and lift your hand on the side of the bent leg to the ceiling.
Advanced Variation: After each lunge, return to standing position and take a step with each new lunge for 20 yards.
Pro Variation: Add a forward bend to stretch the hamstrings before coming back to standing position.
