A good warm-up routine helps to prepare your muscles for movement and allows your body to perform at its best. It is also essential for preventing unwanted injuries! But first, let’s talk about what exactly it means to warm up your body.
What is a Warm Up?
Warming up your muscles is exactly what it sounds like - movements that gently increase your heart rate and blood flow to your muscles. This in turn delivers more oxygen to your muscles. As your muscles begin to warm, your muscles contract more easily by activating and preparing the connections between your muscles.
Here are three essential moves that should be part of any dynamic warm-up.
Dead Bug With Foam Roller
Every good warm-up needs to have an exercise that prepares the core for activity. The core connects the upper and lower parts of your body and is used in everything from pushups to squats. Making sure your core is prepped for activity will help you to tap into those muscles, which will improve your movement and posture. The dead bug with the added foam roller helps to activate your core as well as maintenance of a neutral spine.
Lay on your back in a dead bug position.
Place a short foam roller between the opposite knee and hand.
Gently apply pressure so that the foam roller is firmly in place.
Extend the other opposite arm and leg away and then return to the starting position.
Complete 30 seconds on one side and then switch to the other side.
GLUTE Bridge
This exercise is a quick and easy way to warm-up your glutes and should be a staple in any warm-up routine. To do this exercise correctly, really think about pushing the heels down and pulling inwards to really fire up your hamstrings and glutes.
Start on your back with your knees bent and feet firmly planted on the ground.
Drive your heels down as you lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Lower your hips and repeat for 45 seconds.
Figure Four Stretch With Rotation
This warm-up exercise helps to bring mobility to the lumbar spine and helps to decrease tightness in the hips. Incorporating movement into your spine is especially important for anyone who is doing a workout after a day of sitting in front of a computer.
Lay on your back with one foot planted on the ground.
Place the other foot in front of that leg so that the foot is resting on the thigh to make an upside down four with your legs.
Gently roll your legs and hips towards the side of the supporting leg as you keep your upper body in place.
Repeat five times, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Complete two rounds.