How do you warm up before a training session?

Do you do a few static stretches and then jump right in to your workout? Maybe going with the traditional quadriceps, triceps and pec stretches with a few Toe Touches thrown in?

That is not a warm-up.

You need at least 10 minutes of a dynamic warm-up to get your body ready for a tough training session.

RELATED: A Dynamic Warm-Up You Can Perform Anywhere

“Sweaty is Ready”

There’s an old saying in the amateur wrestling community that coaches and athletes swear by before a match: “Sweaty is ready.” If you complete a low-intensity dynamic warm-up that gets you sweating a bit, chances are you’re ready to move on to higher intensity training or competition.

Why?

To prevent injury during a workout, you need to bring your core temperature up, and the best way to do this is with a dynamic warm-up. Just like warming up a car when it’s 10 degrees below zero outside (at least for us northerners), your tissue, joints, and nervous system must prepare for the work like the car engine must prepare for the drive.

A 10- to 15-minute dynamic warm-up is also a great way to work on the movement patterns you will perform during your strength training. If you will be doing heavy Squats, it’s a good idea to incorporate a few variations of Bodyweight Squats in your warm-up to practice the movement and prep your nervous system.

RELATED: Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises Done the Right Way

Below is a 10-minute general warm-up you can do before a training session. Watch the video above for a visual demonstration of each movement.

Jumps in Place—Forward, Side-to-Side, Hip Twist: x45 Seconds

• Stay on the balls of your feet as you jump!

Forward Lunge with Rotation: x5 each leg

• Lunge forward until your back knee is 2 inches off the ground.
• With your arms at chest level, rotate your torso to the left, then to the right.
• Return to the starting position.

Side Lunge with Sweep: x3 each leg

• Step out to the side with one foot, keeping your feet in line and your toes pointed straight ahead.
• Bend the knee of the leg you stepped with, keep your other leg straight, and drop your butt down.
• Keeping your chest up and back straight, reach down with your hands, sweep the ground and reach for the sky.
• Return to the starting position.

Rotational Lunge: x3 each leg

• Bring one knee straight up into the air, rotate your body and set your foot down pointing straight out to the side.
• Keeping your front leg straight, your chest up and your back straight, bend your other knee and drop your butt down.
• Return to the starting position.

Spidermans with Elbow Drop: x3 each side

• From a push-up position, step one foot in front of your hand while keeping the rest of your body solid.
• Drag the elbow closer to the leg you stepped with down the side of your calf as low as you can.
• Return to the starting position.

Push-Up Position Thoracic Openers: x5 each side 

• Assume a push-up position with your feet wider than normal.
• Rotate your upper body (keeping your lower body still) and reach your left hand up to the sky.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Leg Sweep Opposite High Kick: x20 yards

• Dig one heel into the ground, keep your leg straight and reach down to sweep the ground.
• As you come up, make a high kick with the opposite leg.

Slow Bodyweight Squats: x10

• With your feet shoulder-width apart, push your butt back and drop down into a Squat.
• Keep your chest up and back straight.

Slow Controlled Bear Crawl: 2×20 Yards (1 Forward, 1 Backward)

• Drop down into a push-up position, bring your knees up to your chest slightly and walk forward in a slow controlled bear crawl.
• Keep your hips locked in place and avoid rotating your lower body.

Forward Skips: 2×20 yards

• Staying on the balls of your feet, drive your knees to your chest, and alternate your arms like you are running.
• Try to find a rhythm in your skips.

Lateral Skips: 2×20 yards

• Do the same thing as the previous A-Skip, but move sideways.

50% Shuffle: 2×20 yards

• Keeping your toes pointed straight ahead, shuffle in a slow controlled fashion.

100% Shuffle: 2×20 yards

• Do the same as the previous Shuffle, but move as fast as you can.

Power Skips: 2×20 Yards

• Skip forward, jumping as high as you can.
• Alternate your arm swing like you are running.

Broad Jumps: 2×20 Yards

• Stand on your toes and raise your arms up.
• Drop your butt down, swing your arms back and explode forward into a jump, shoving your hips and swinging your arms forward.
• Land, reset and repeat.
• Avoid caving your knees in toward each other; keep your toes and knees pointed straight ahead.

Give this warm-up a shot and you will be ready to rock ‘n roll when you get to the rest of your training!

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