A Dynamic Warm Up Routine For Your Workout

This video provides an example of a dynamic warm up.

It contains many of the exercises I like to do before a workout. However, not all are applicable to your warm-up. Chose the ones you feel suite you best or refer to the Dynamic Warm – Up Template I provided.

Note: All the exercises in the video are done at a fast pace with the athletes constantly moving. Adjust the pace to fit your comfort level. They are just as effective if you do a slow walk instead of a run or jog.

If you don’t have the space all exercise can be done in place or move up and back over the distance you have until you’ve covered the distance.

The Exercises

  1. High Knee Karaoke @ 0:10 (over, over, walk, walk)
  2. Over the Fence / Hurdle @ 0:28 (heel, toe)
  3. Knee Hug / to Chest  @ 0:39 (2s. hold)
  4. Figure 4  @ 1:10 (1s. hold)
  5. Lunge with Reach @ 1:29
  6. Lunge Torso Twist @ 2:14 (Pull hand)
  7. Toe Touch (Walking Straight Leg Kicks) @ 2:32
  8. High Knees @ 2:58
  9. Butt Kicks @ 3:22
  10. Straight Leg Bound @ 3:53
  11. Shuffle @ 4:21
  12. Shuffle with Arm Action @ 4:36
  13. Seated Arm Swings @4:54
  14. Standing Arm Swings @ 5:21
  15. Toes Out Walk @6:00
  16. Toes in Walk @ 6:24
  17. Heel Walk @ 6:48
  18. Toe Walk @ 7:11
  19. Outside Foot Walk @ 7:42
  20. Inside Foot Walk @ 7:57
  21. 50m Hash Mark Sprints, forwards & backwards @ 8:18
  22. 30m Acceleration @ 8:41
  23. 45m Acceleration @ 9:10
  24.  60m Acceleration @ 9:26

The Fine Details

When performing dynamic warm-ups I prefer to move move continuously. About 10 meters for each is sufficient.

However, if space is tight, you can perform them in place. In that case drills are done for reps or time.

  1. High Knee Karaoke @ 0:10
    – (over, over, walk, walk)
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  2. Forward Over the Fence @ 0:28
    – They call this… Over the Hurdle Some call it Open the Gate.
    – I like to do it backwards as well. The knee starts high in front and steps over a fence/hurdle while moving backwards.
    – (heel, toe)
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  3. Knee Hug @ 0:39
    – They call this… Knee to Chest
    – 2s. hold
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  4. Figure 4 @ 1:10
    – Pull the knee, not the ankle. The lifting of the ankle is just to keep the foot at the level of the knee.
    – Hold for 2 s.
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  5. Lunge with Reach @ 1:29
    – Reach up and back with arms. Be careful not to create movement through low back.
    – Hold for 2 s.
    – As your fitness levels improve the back knee doesn’t touch the ground.
    – It’s a warm up so it’s ok to use your hands to help take the next step.
    – Can also be done moving backwards. (Reverse Lunge with Reach)
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  6. Lunge With Twist @ 2:14
    – (Pull hand)
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
    – Twist to both sides.
    – Keep your hands up. Like a genie.
    – If performing both lunge with reach and lunge with twist, do the lunge with reach moving backwards (Reverse Lunge with Reach).
  7. Walking Straight Leg Kicks @ 2:32
    – They call this a Toe Touch. But I feel kick is a more appropriate term.
    – Keep your torso tall. Don’t lean back.
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters
  8. High Knee Run @ 2:58
    – Keep you toes pulled to your shins
    – Stay tall.
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters. (Their in place portion isn’t necessary.)
  9. Butt Kicks @ 3:22
    – Make sure your ams are moving too.
    – Perform over the course of about 10 meters. (The in place portion isn’t necessary.)
  10. Straight Leg Bound @ 3:53
    – This is a difficult exercise to perform so I’ve included a second video below.
    – Keep legs straight
    – Heels strike ground.
    – Stand tall. Don’t lean back.
    – Legs are snapping back to ground. Not kicking up.
  11. Shuffle @ 4:21
    – They call it a sidestep.
    – Stay in a ¼ squat position.
    – Feet never touch.
  12. Shuffle with Arm Action @ 4:36
    – They call it… Sidestep jumping jack
    – Stay in a ¼ squat position.
    – Feet never touch.
  13. Seated Arm Swings @4:54
    – I don’t bother with this. The arms have been moving and there are better options available.
  14. Standing Arm Swings @ 5:21
    – I don’t bother with this. The arms have been moving and there are better options available.
  15. Toes Out Walk @ 6:00
    – Keep about 4 – 5” between heels
  16. Toes in Walk @ 6:24
    – Heels stay off ground.
    – Will feel in IT band.
  17. Heel Walk @ 6:48
    – Keep toes pulled to shins.
    – It’s not a race. Take your time on this exercise.
  18. Toe Walk @ 7:11
    – Not an exercise I perform. I don’t think it’s necessary.
  19. Outside Foot Walk @ 7:42
    – Not an exercise I perform.
  20. Inside Foot Walk @ 7:57
    – Not an exercise I perform.
  21. 50m Hash Mark Sprints, forwards & backwards @ 8:18
    – Can do fast feet in place instead.
    – The Last few drills are only done if you’re going to run.
  22. 30m Acceleration @ 8:41
    – 20m speed up, 10m to slow down.
    – 70-80% intensity
  23. 45m Acceleration @ 9:10
    – 35m speed up, 10m to slow down
    – 70-80% intensity
  24. 60m Acceleration @ 9:26
    – 50m speed up, 10m to slow down
    – 70-80% intensity

The Straight Leg Bound

Exercise # 10, The Straight Leg Bound, is difficult to grasp. So I though I’d add another video.

Dynamic Warm – Up Template

I love templates.

If done right they’re easy to follow, and remember. This is the template I use when creating warm-ups. It’s straightforward so you can apply it yourself.

  1. General to specific.
    – Every warm-up progress form general exercises to exercises that address the movements in the day’s workout.
    – Begin with  1 or 2 minutes of light activity to increase heart rate and core temperature. You can run, bike, jump on the elliptical. It doesn’t matter. I like to mix things up so I do ladder drills, line drills, dot drills an other things like that. But the choice is your.
  2. Work from the Bottom Up
    – It’s easy to keep track of the different joints and muscles when you start at your feet and work your way up to your head.
  3. Spend Time Where Needed
    – We all have different strengths and weaknesses. If you need more time with  and area, take it. If you have good mobility and no aches in an area just give it a once-over and move on.
  4. Move When You Can
    – This is a dynamic warm-up, so move if you can. If there is a variation of a stretch than allows you to move, and you have the space to do it, opt for that option.
    – Save the static stretching for post workout. workout.

Major muscles and joints to target from the bottom up:

  1. Ankles – Calves
  2. Knees – Hamstrings and Quads
  3. Hips – Glutes (If you have stiff hips try the The Myrtl Hip Mobility Routine)
  4. Low Back
  5. Upper Back – Lats, Shoulders, Chest
  6. Chest –
  7. Neck

If needed wrist and elbow.

Sample Dynamic Warm Up

  1. Jumping Jacks: Increase core temperature and rate of blood circulation.
  2. Slant Board: Stretches out the calf and mobilizes the ankle.
  3. High Knee Run: Moving up the chain from the calves to the hamstrings.
  4. Butt Kicks: Moving to the backside of the body it’s time to target the quads.
  5. Quad Pull Variations: More quadriceps work.
  6. Knee Hug: From the legs I move into the hips starting with the glutes.
  7. Over the Fence: Gets deep into the hips.
  8. Cat Camel: Moving into the back.