Get the Most Out of Your Warm Up
At this point, everyone knows their supposed to warm up before they exercise.
But much time can you really spend warming up? And what, exactly, should you do? There are only so many hours in the day after all! I suggest a 15 minute warm up, but that doesn't mean you wait 15 minutes before you get your heart pumping and muscles moving.
In fact, many people consider are warm ups to be a workout themselves! Here's the warm up I suggest: First foam roll your "overactive" muscles.
Just roll on those muscles until you find a tender spot.
Then lean on that tender spot until the tension goes away.
It'll usually take about 20 to 30 seconds.
If you don't know what they are, ask a NASM certified personal trainer to give you an assessment.
If you don't know a NASM personal trainer, you can't go wrong foam rolling your hip flexors, calves, and lats.
Second, you'll want to stretch those same muscles.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
If you don't know how to stretch a particular muscle group, ask a trainer.
Next, you'll want to exercise your "underactive" muscles.
Your trainer could tell you what your underactive muscles are and how to exercise them.
If your underactive muscles were your glutes and lower traps, which are very common, a bridge and a cobra combo would be great exercises to do.
After that you should do some exercises that "put it all together.
" Two of my favorites are YTAs and body weight squat presses.
Finally, it's time for a full body cardio warm up that has you moving in all three planes of motion.
If "all three planes of motion" doesn't mean anything to you, do this exercise sequence and you'll have it covered: 1) A minute of Jumping jacks followed by a minute of side shuffles.
2) A minute of cross country ski jumps followed by a minute of grapevine shuffles.
3) A minute of body weight snatches followed by a minute of high knees.
4) A minutes of body weight squat presses followed by a minute of butt kicks.
This entire warm up should take about 15 minutes.
When you're done, you'll be ready for anything!
But much time can you really spend warming up? And what, exactly, should you do? There are only so many hours in the day after all! I suggest a 15 minute warm up, but that doesn't mean you wait 15 minutes before you get your heart pumping and muscles moving.
In fact, many people consider are warm ups to be a workout themselves! Here's the warm up I suggest: First foam roll your "overactive" muscles.
Just roll on those muscles until you find a tender spot.
Then lean on that tender spot until the tension goes away.
It'll usually take about 20 to 30 seconds.
If you don't know what they are, ask a NASM certified personal trainer to give you an assessment.
If you don't know a NASM personal trainer, you can't go wrong foam rolling your hip flexors, calves, and lats.
Second, you'll want to stretch those same muscles.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
If you don't know how to stretch a particular muscle group, ask a trainer.
Next, you'll want to exercise your "underactive" muscles.
Your trainer could tell you what your underactive muscles are and how to exercise them.
If your underactive muscles were your glutes and lower traps, which are very common, a bridge and a cobra combo would be great exercises to do.
After that you should do some exercises that "put it all together.
" Two of my favorites are YTAs and body weight squat presses.
Finally, it's time for a full body cardio warm up that has you moving in all three planes of motion.
If "all three planes of motion" doesn't mean anything to you, do this exercise sequence and you'll have it covered: 1) A minute of Jumping jacks followed by a minute of side shuffles.
2) A minute of cross country ski jumps followed by a minute of grapevine shuffles.
3) A minute of body weight snatches followed by a minute of high knees.
4) A minutes of body weight squat presses followed by a minute of butt kicks.
This entire warm up should take about 15 minutes.
When you're done, you'll be ready for anything!
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