8 Best Warm-Up Exercises To Do Prior To Your Workout

It’s an undeniable and unfortunately, an unavoidable fact that most of us are pressed for time in the busy lifestyle. The day begins with the snoozing of alarms, skipping breakfast, and hurriedly going to the office.

I would want to ask you all a question here, did it happen anytime that you started your car in the 5^th gear out of a hurry to reach office? 5^th gear actually takes you to your destination faster, isn’t it? Does it sound crazy to you? Are you saying, no car is ever designed that way? This sounds pretty correct!

The car has to gain some velocity and get prepared before we actually shift to the higher gears. 

Why am I saying all this to you is because the importance of warm-up exercises is more or less comparable to driving your car. Most of us are crunched for time and want to squeeze in a workout by skipping warm-up. There should be a whole amount of silence in agreement with this! Hmm, if you’re habitual in skipping warm-ups, please don’t do this anymore. Warming up before a workout functions like the 1^st gear, it prepares your body for the demands of strenuous workout.

Skipping a warm-up session is like pushing your body to lift loads when your body is actually not prepared for it…

Benefits Of Proper Warmup

A proper warm-up before your workout is one such essential which provides you psychological and physiological preparation for exercise performance. A 10-15 minutes warm up prepares your body mentally, increases your body temperature, heart rate, loosens your joints, increases blood flow to the muscles. Warm muscles will increase muscle elasticity, contract more forcefully, and relax more quickly. As they say, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’, spending a bare minimum of 10 minutes on warm-up can lower the risk of injuries to the muscles, as well as reduce the heavy loads on the heart, which can occur when high-intensity exercises are suddenly started.

Okay, time to warm up…

1. HIGH KNEES     

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Bring your right knee to the chest level swinging your arms from your shoulders front.
3. Lower your knee letting your feet touch the ground before lifting your left knee up to repeat the movement.
4. Raise and lower your left and right knees in an alternative fashion.
5. Perform the action for a count of 10 on each leg.

Works your quads, hamstrings, calves, abs, glutes, arms, back

2. STANDING ARM CIRCLES

1. Stand with a flat back, core held tight, and feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Raise and extend your arms to the sides, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion (clockwise direction).
3. Move your arms in a clockwise direction for a count of 10 and then repeat by rotating your arms in an anticlockwise direction for a count of 10.

Works your shoulder, upper back

3. NECK TILTS

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Gently tilt your neck to the left, and hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
3. Tilt your neck to the right, and repeat.
4. Perform this for a count of 10.

Works your traps, upper chest, and lats 

4. TORSO ROTATIONS

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands on the hips, bend your knees slightly and rotate your hips making big circles.
3. Complete 10 circles in one direction and then switch to the anticlockwise direction.

Works your hips, abs, and lower back

5. JUMPING JACKS

1. Stand straight with your feet held together and arms by your sides.
2. Jump up, spread your feet, bring both hands together above your head.
3. Jump back to return to the starting position.

Works your quads, glutes, hip flexors, legs, abs, shoulders

6. OBLIQUE STRETCH

1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Place your right hand on your hip and incline your torso to the right until you feel a stretch in the oblique.
3. Next, place your left hand on your hip and incline your torso to the left until you feel a stretch.
4. Perform this exercise for a count of 10 on each side.

Works your obliques, back and arms

7. KNEE CIRCLES

1. Stand straight with your feet together.
2. Slowly bend forward placing your hands on your knees.
3. Move your knees in a clockwise motion for a count of 10 and repeat in anti-clockwise direction for a count of 10.

Works your quads, calves, hamstrings

8. TOE TOUCHES

1. Stand straight with your feet together and arms at your sides.
2. Slowly bend forward and slide your arms down your thighs towards your feet.
3. Pause and feel the stretch in your hamstrings.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and return to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for a count of 10.

Works your hamstrings, calves, hips, thighs, and knees

Each time you head to your exercise session, don’t forget to factor in a few minutes of warm-up before your workout…

Reminding you of our AS-IT-IS mantra yet another time here… 'NO SHORTCUTS TO FITNESS'…

Also read: Walking 30 Minutes Daily Benefits Physical & Mental-Wellbeing

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