Warm Up Stretches & Warm Up Exercises for a Power Workout Routine

Proper Warming up drastically reduces injuries, improves circulation and gets you ready for your Power Workout. Check these Power Warm ups and Stretches exercises right now for a quality workout.

You have joined a new gym, may be even bought a book on Weight Training and are ready to hit the deck, err... I mean hit the weights right? But wait right there!

Haven't you seen how you need to ignite the engine before it kicks roaring in? Your body is the same. It needs time to warm up, get the blood circulation running in your muscles, heart and lungs faster than at rest.

Also you can use the warming up period to think about your upcoming workout and motivate yourself.

I suggest that as soon as you come to gym you should head right to the aerobics section and perform a 5 minute treadmill routine. In that way you will not be distracted by weights.

Why is Warming up so important?

Have you heart about a concept called Surprise attack in the military and how it is successfully used to defeat opponents.. In a similar vein if you call your body reserves and metabolites for action all of a sudden the response will not only be blunted but injury prone too.

A systematic attack is the one you are looking for.

Advantages of Proper Warm Up

A properly done warm up can
make your workouts safer
gets your body ready for a killer workout
improves your stamina
gets you physically and mentally ready
Reduces your chances of muscle injury

How Long and how hard should warm up?

5-10 minute warm up at light to moderate pace sets the tone and is enough.

Top 5 warm up activities

Depending on your type choose any one and do it at light-moderate pace for 5-10 minutes

Treadmill walk/run, bicycle riding, rope jumping, running in place or aerobic dancing.

Ideal 2 stage warm up

I usually warm up in 2 quick stages.

Stage One - Cardiovascular Training on a treadmill for 5 minutes. This is followed by stretching exercises.

Stage Two - Light weight warm up sets for the intended exercises.

Once you got your muscles warm up, its time to stretch the with these excellent Stretching Exercises.

P.S. - Preventing an injury is your first choice. Remember I always say health before fitness. It best to spend 10 minutes warming and stretching than to lose weeks or even months rehabilitating.

5 Best Warm up Exercises

Warming up is one of the most essential parts to any workout regime or routine. Many people get into exercises when they wake up from sleep or when they get back from work. This means that the body gets into exercise from a resting posture or as in the case of work from sitting down for long periods from which the muscles have essentially been contracted for a long time.

Getting into heavy exercise without warming up can even lead to injuries. Therefore warming up can be seen as waking up your muscles for action, and getting them ready for the more serious exercises to follow.

There are many different warm up exercises that you can engage yourself in. However here are the 5 best warm up exercises;

Jumping jacks

Jumping jacks are one of the most commonly performed exercises. They can be used to get your body ready for exercise. If you have never tried jumping jacks before, follow the procedure below on how to do them correctly.
• Stand erect with your hands at your sides and your feet together
• Raise your hands above your head while you jump and open your legs at the same time
• Your legs should be wide open and on the ground while your hands meet together in a clap
• Then bring your hands back to your sides and your feet together to get to the starting position.
• Do several repetitions to get you ready for the exercise

Split jacks

• Start by putting your right leg in front and your left leg behind as if in a stride, with the left hand lifted up right above your face front of you and the right hand taken to the back given the picture of a giant stride.
• Then switch the hands as you switch the legs, bringing the left leg forward and the right leg behind, and doing the reverse with the other leg and hand.
• Repeat as fast as you can.

Squat thrusts

This is an important exercise to get the full body in good form for more intensive exercise.
• Start by standing erect with your feet together and your hands hanging on your sides
• Bend at your knees as you push your buttocks backwards while you put your hands flat on the ground in front of you
• Push your feet backwards by kicking back which will bring you to a push up position with the bulk of your weight supported by your hands
• You can do a few pushups here if you wish
• Then bring your feet back towards your hands, and stand up to the starting position
• Then repeat as desired.

Backwards Running

This is an excellent exercise for improving lower body strength and for getting the body revved up for more heavy exercise.
• It is best done in an area that has no obstacles like an open strip or field
• Standing straight, raise yourself to the balls of your feet as you run backwards
• Do this for about 4 times for about 20 seconds each time
• Make sure that your trunk is kept straight at all times and that you are regularly at the balls of your feet.

Lunge Walk with Forward Trunk Reach

This exercise works basically on the lower body especially the hamstrings, hip flexors and to some extent the back.
• Standing erect with feet together and your hands at your sides, take a giant step forward with one of your legs
• Keep your weight now supported between the stretched out leg that is held flat on the ground, and the toes of the leg that is left behind
• Then using the hand at the side of the leg that is stretched out , try to take the elbow towards the ankle as far as you can go
• Bring your body back to an upright position and repeat.

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