Warming Up Before a Run or Workout

Posted February 21, 2023 by Ali Ziegler

Here are eight exercises to help warmup. Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds. 

Jumping Jacks: Start in a standing position with hands to yours sides and feet together. Then, perform a small hop to bring your feet out, slightly past hip width, and your arms into a V above your head (think making your body look like an X). Then perform another small hop to bring your body back to starting position. 

Low intensity modification: Step out with right leg and raise right arm, step out with left leg and raise left arm, step in with right leg and lower right arm, step in with left leg and lower left arm. 

Walking Lunge with Trunk Rotation: Start in a standing position with hands to yours sides and feet together. Step forward with your right leg and lower to the ground so that each leg is now in a 90 degree position, making sure your right knee does not push forward over the right foot. When you reach this point, slowly turn your shoulders and upper body to the right. Push to a standing position by pushing off of the left toe and placing all of your weight onto the right leg. Repeat on the other side. 

Low intensity modification: same as above without lowering all the way to the ground. 

Leg Swings: Start in a standing position with hands to yours sides and feet together, holding on to a wall or other stable object for support. Begin by swinging your outside leg forward to 45-90 degrees and then swing the same leg backwards to 45-90 degrees behind you. Turn around 180 degrees and repeat on the opposite side. 

High Knees: Start in a standing position with hands to yours sides and feet together. Bring your right knee up in front of you to a 90 degree angle as you bring your left arm up into a 90 degree angle, hop off of left leg and switch so that your left knee and right arm come up. Continue to alternate. 
 
Low intensity modification: Remove the hop. Bring knee up to 90 degree position, lower to the ground and repeat on the other side. 

Heel to Buttocks: Start in a standing position with hands to yours sides and feet together. Bring your right knee back as you try to touch your heel to your buttocks while bringing your left arm up in front of you, hop off of left leg and switch so that your left knee comes back to touch your buttocks and your right arm comes up in front of you. Continue to alternate. 

Low intensity modification: Remove the hop. Bring leg back to touch your buttocks, lower to the ground and repeat on the other side. 
Arm swings: Stand with your legs at hip width apart. Bring both arms out in a “T” position then swing them in front of your body to cross over each other. Swing back out into a “T” position. Continue to repeat. 

Ankle Hops: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the knees slightly and hop on both feet 3-5 inches off the ground. Make sure to bend the knees upon landing to absorb the ground. Continue to repeat.
  
Low intensity modification: Instead of hopping, raise up on to the toes and come back down. 

Body Weight Squats: Stand with feet shoulder width or hip width apart (depends on preference). Bend at the knees to 90 degrees, making sure the knees are not going over the toes. Weight should be mostly in the heels. Stand back up to starting position and repeat. 

Low intensity modification: Find a bench or seating area. Stand in front of the bench with feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the knees and sit onto the bench, gain composure and stand back up to starting position and repeat.