Time to stop considering a jog on a treadmill as a warm up. It just doesn’t cut it, no matter how good it might look:
Source: Focus Features
Full disclosure: I stole the base idea of this from Brad Kaczmarski and then utilized some hacks introduced by Mike Boyle before adding couple of my favorite reset exercises from Original Strength and DNS to cap it off. This is the most efficient way of warming up and prepping the whole body for training session that I’ve come across so far. Best part is that it is done with absolute minimum equipment, all you need is a resistance band.
Here’s the rundown:
Start with a foam rolling by spending 30-60 seconds on any knots that you might have. If you are pressed for time just do thoracic extensions on roller and roll adductors, lats, quads.
1. Supine Leg Press
3 repetitions of 5 second exhales each leg alternating, hold the bottom position. Opposite knee bent and hip flexed to a minimum of 90 degrees.
Make the exercise harder by using a band on your feet for resistance. Make it easier by holding the bent leg with your hands.
2. Cook Hip lift
3×5 seconds exhales each leg, hold the top position. Press through the heel and have the opposite knee bent and hip flexed to a minimum of 90 degrees. Avoid forcefully jerking your butt off the ground.
Make it easier by holding the bent leg with your hands.
3. Supine Shoulder Flexion
3×5 second exhales with feet flat on the ground reach arms overhead and keep lower back flat on the ground.
Note: if you are unable to get arms overhead in this position without losing the ground contact with you lower back it’s worth spending some extra time on breathing drills and also releasing lats and upper back with the foam roller. To be safe avoid any overhead work until you can get the full range (arms overhead) with this exercise.
4. Quadruped Back Rock
3×10 reps rocking your butt to your heels.
5. Crawl. Baby/leopard/spider-man, depending on your level. When in doubt do baby crawl such as what I do in the video.
20 steps forward and back
6. Lateral Band Walk
10 steps to both directions. Hinge your hips back and avoid swinging your body from side to side. Think of it as Moonwalk (LINK) sideways, if I would only see you upper body it would look like you are gliding.
7. Sphinx Pose
3×5 seconds exhale and hold at the top. Remember to look straight ahead and feel the spot between and below your shoulder blades.
Make it harder by performing alternating arm slides or reaches to the side.
*Depending on a person’s results in the Functional Movement Screen, I might add a specific corrective in the beginning or at the end..
What ya think? Is it good or absolute crap? What do you do as a warm up?
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