Dynamic Warm-up Exercises

Dynamic warm-ups are used for preparing the body for movement.  As opposed to static stretching, dynamic warm-ups utilize continuous movement to increase bloodflow by causing vasodilation as the muscles become warm, increase the speed of contraction and relaxation of the muscles, bring the heartrate to a workable range, and mentally prepare the participant for exercise.

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High Knee Walks

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Walking Lunges-  Start by standing erect with your feet positioned underneath you.  Descend by taking a step forward, about twice as far as you normally would just to walk, and sink into the lunge position by allowing your hips to drop without your knee travelling more than a few inches forward.  Make sure to keep your torso erect throughout the entire movement.  Return to the starting position by driving through the heel of your exercising leg and squeezing your glute and quad.  Once back to the starting position, begin the same process with the opposite leg and continue alternating lunging on each leg until prescribed amount of reps are completed.

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Frankenstein Walks-  Begin standing with your feet parallel to each other.  Step forward about one foot with your support leg and immediately bring your working leg straight out and up in a kicking motion.  The toes should contact the hand at the top portion of the movement before returning to the start position.  Immediately transition to the other side.  Focus on staying as upright as possible throughout the entire movement.

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Upright X-band Side Steps-  Begin by standing on a band (resistance and shapes vary) with your feet about shoulder width apart.  From here, cross the band and create tension by pulling it tight to your hips- forming an ‘X.’  Keeping your core as tight as possible, drive the lead leg laterally about 6-12 inches, squeezing through your glutes and hips, always keeping the toes pointed straight ahead.  Next, bring the support leg in under control, keeping the toes pointed straight ahead.  The legs should remain straight throughout the entire movement.  Complete the prescribed reps on one side before switching. 

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Athletic-Stance X-band Side Steps-  These are the same as “Upright X-band Side Steps,” only the legs and hips are bent in an “athletic ready stance.”

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Bodyweight Squats-  Start by setting your feet about shoulder width apart with your toes pointed straight ahead or slightly outward.  Begin descending by pushing your butt back and keeping your torso as upright as possible.  Ascend by pushing through the middle of your feet and your heels, squeezing your glutes and your quadriceps.

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Mountain Climbers-  Start by getting into the top portion of a pushup position.  From here, without getting too complicated, mimic a jogging motion, driving your knees up towards your chest one at a time.  Do not let your body twist or allow your core to sag throughout the entire movement.  The feet should not touch the ground when the knees are at the highest point.

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Mountain Climbers for Range of Motion-  Everything is similar to regular mountain climbers, except, the feet do not leave the ground at all.  This is a slower, more controlled, focused motion.

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Iron Cross-  Begin by lying on your back with your arms straight out to the sides.  Raise one leg at a time and swing it, under control, towards your hand on the opposite side of your body.  Keep your legs straight and try not to let your shoulders raise off of the ground throughout the movement.  Return to the start position under control.  Repeat on the opposite side.

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Scorpions-  Begin by lying on your stomach with your hands straight out to the sides.  Like the iron cross, rase one leg at a time and rotate your hips, reaching as far across your midline as possible.  During this move, unline the iron cross, you will bend your leg as you reach for the floor.  Return to the starting position and switch sides.

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Leg Swings-  Begin by leaning against a stable object, such as a wall, squat rack, railing, etc…  From here, swing the working leg slightly in front of the body as far as you can each direction.  Try not to allow the momentum to rotate your torso at all.  Complete prescribed reps on one side before switching.

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Side Lunges-  Start by standing with your feet parallel to each other.  When you begin the movement, push your hips back, keep your chest as upright as possible and step out to the chosen side while keeping the other leg straight.  At the bottom your exercising leg (the one you stepped out with) should be in a fully flexed position.  Focus on not allowing the knee to rotate in or out.  To return to the starting position, drive through the middle and outside of the foot of the flexed leg, and concentrate on squeezing your glutes.  Repeat the move on the opposite leg, alternating legs each rep.

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Side Squats-  Start by placing your feet as wide as comfortably possible.  When you begin the movement, push your hips back, keep your chest as upright as possible and sink to the chosen side while keep ing the non-exercising leg straight.  At the bottom your exercising leg should be in a fully flexed position while your non-exercising leg is straight.  To return to the starting position, drive through the middle and outside of the foot of the exercising leg and concentrate on squeezing your glutes of your exercising leg.  After returing to the starting position, continue the exercise by repeating the steps mentioned above on the opposite leg.  This exercise can be done with just body weight, by placing a barbell on your back, or holding dumbells at your chest or between your legs.

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Clock Lunges– Start by standing erect with your feet positioned underneath you in an area with plenty of space around you.  Now, envision that you are standing in the center of a clock face with 12 o’clock in front of you and 6’0clock behind you.  To complete the exercise, you will simply lunge to each position on the clock face, working from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock on each leg.  3 o’clock gets two lunges, a side lunge and a rotation lunge into the position and back out.  As you work back the clock face, past 3 o’clock, you rotate into the lunge position at the given place on the clock and drive back out of the lunge, rotating back into the starting position.  You will work around the clock to 6 0’clock on one leg be fore working back the clock on the opposite leg.  One trip from 12 to 6 on each leg counts as 1 rep.  Continue for the prescribed amount of reps.

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Single Leg Medicine Ball Woodchops

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3-way Reaches

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Walking Quad Stretch