Moving Warm Up

A proper workout warm up means moving your muscles continuously for 8-10 minutes. The purpose of a warm up is to do exactly that, prepare your body for the work of an upcoming workout. Any activity that circulates your blood, increases heart rate and breathing, and moves several muscles qualifies. Try this moving single knee to chest warm up stretch before your next walk or run. Begin by taking a step with your right foot, then bring your left knee up hugging it to your chest for one second. Lower your left knee and take a step with your left foot. Then, bring your right knee up and hug it to your chest. Lower, and step forward. Repeat walking forward and lifting your knee.

Moving Warm Up Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Always warm-up for your workout!

A warm-up is an essential component of your workout and should NOT be skipped, or even abbreviated. Prepare your body for exercise with 8-10 minutes of dynamic (moving your body continuously) exercise. You’ll prepare your muscles and your cardiovascular system for the increased work load of exercise. A proper warm-up is any movement of your major muscle groups aerobically. For example:

Walking. Walking outside or on the treadmill makes a great warm up for just about every activity. Start slow and build up speed.

Calisthenics. Jogging, jumping jacks, hopping are all great warm up activities that move many muscles and increase our core temperature.

No load exercises. Perform your weight exercises, without weight. No load exercises are great to develop muscle memory patterns as well.

Range of motion exercises. Move each joint through it’s natural range of motion. For example, wrist circles, ankle circles or knee bending and extending. Do 5-8 reps.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Should you skip the warm-up?