Try This Dynamic Warm-Up To Kickstart Your Workout

by Women's Health | Nov 15, 2019 | Workouts

dynamic warm-up — a woman doing a dynamic warm-up

Those early morning workout sessions can put the body in complete shock, more especially if you haven’t warmed up prior to your session. Group and personal trainer Renché Seyffert from FIT BEST Training tells Women’s Health why warming up is vital.

“Warming up is an essential part of your workout regime, that often gets overlooked. The purpose of a warm-up is to prepare the body for the workout that’s to follow, ” says Renché. She went on to say that warm-ups prevent injuries. “Warm-ups gradually warms the body’s temperature, while loosening the muscles,” she says.

Did you know that warm muscles increase the rate of energy production? “This means that your body’s reaction time improves and muscles contract faster. The warm-up thus increases blood circulation, to provide oxygen and energy, helping the muscles perform better,” she concludes. This warm-up routine is recommended before you start any workout. Get your blood circulation going and whip your body into shape this summer season.

Tip: Perform 20 reps of each exercise (20 right and 20 left where applicable) before moving onto the next move.

Annnnd action…

1/ Neck Rolls

How to: Keep your spine elongated and relax the neck and shoulders. (Gently rotate the neck to the left before returning to the centre to repeat on the other side.

2/ Shoulder Rolls Backwards

How to: Keeping your body straight, roll your shoulders backwards.

3/ Shoulder Rolls Forward

How to: Keeping your body straight, roll your shoulders forward.

4/ Slow High Knees

How to: Stretch arms out straight in front of you. Lift your legs up to a 90 degree angle, for the knee to touch the palm of your hands. Alternate legs and repeat.

5/ Slow Extended High Knees

How to: Extend arms straight ahead. Kick legs out straight in front of you, as you touch your toes. Alternate legs.

6/ Slow Extended High Knees with Torso Twist

Extend arms straight ahead. Kick legs out straight in front of you, as you touch your toes. Rotate torso from side to side as you touch your toes.

7/ Side Lunges with Arm Openers

Lunge to right side, ensuring your knee doesn’t pass your toes. Extend arms out straight to each side, before bringing arms back to centre. Repeat on the left leg.

8/ Static Side Lunge

Lunge to left side, ensuring your knee doesn’t pass your toes. Repeat on right leg.

9/ Lunges with Arm Circles

Take a deep lunge alternating from side to side. Lift arms to create a circle and alternate arms. This move is done in unison.

10/ Squat with Elbows on Knees

Get into a squat position. Squat and place your elbows on your knees.

11/ Squats with Elbows on Knee Pulses

Get into a squat position. Squat and place your elbows on your knees. Do a 20 reps of pulses.

12/ Squats with Elbows on Knee Hold

Get into a squat position. Squat and place your elbows on your knees. Hold for 20 seconds or more.

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