Prep You Body For Better Performance With A Dynamic Warm-Up
Simple, dynamic warm-up preps your body for pain-free performance. Especially if you’ve been sitting at your desk all day, a warm-up helps to activate muscles, improve your range of motion, boost blood flow and increase your core body temperature.
The following warm-up incorporates both mobility and muscle activation drills, great for running, football or soccer or any high intensity workout. Before you hit the streets, or field of play, get warmed up and help reduce injury risk.
1. High Knees
Warms up hips, glutes and hamstrings
To Do: Flex hip to bring opposite knee and arm up in a runner’s form in front of you. Release and switch sides. Do 10 reps on each leg.
2. Lunge with Arm Extension
Warms up the core, activates the glutes and helps hip mobility
To Do: Step your left foot forward into a lunge, while extending the opposite arm in the air. Make sure your knee doesn’t extend forward past your foot. Step back to start, bringing arm down. Switch legs. Do 8 to 10 reps on each leg.
3. Toy Soldier
Warms up hamstrings, glutes and quads
To Do: Step forward and keeping your leg straight, kick your right leg out and up to waist level. Extend your opposite arm at the same time, as if to touch your foot. Release and switch sides. Do 10 reps on each leg.
4. Monster Walk
Activates glute medius
To Do: Using a resistance band across your thighs, side step into a half squat and come back to the starting position. Do 8 to 10 reps on each side.
5. Runners Touch
Activates core and warms up hamstrings and glutes
To Do: Balance on one foot and hinge forward, extending your other leg back. Point your arms to the ground. Return to standing. Do 10 reps, and then repeat on the opposite leg.
6. Hamstring Flow
Warms up hamstrings, activates glutes and quads
To Do: Straighten one leg in front of you as you create scooping motion with the opposite arm and move into a half squat with your back leg. Return to standing. Do 10 reps each leg, alternating each time.
A visit with our Registered Massage Therapists will help take care of post-workout soreness you may feel.
Rebalance Toronto
Rebalance Sports Medicine is a multidisciplinary clinic in downtown Toronto offering physiotherapy, chiropractic, registered massage therapy, sports medicine, naturopathy, Pilates and more.