Look around your gym and you’ll see the same guys doing the same things to warm up before every exercise.
When they bench, they’ll cross their arms back and forth a few times—the “meathead swing”— and think they’re good to go. When they squat, they’ll statically stretch their quads and hamstrings, then put a barbell right on their back.
The problem with most solid, dynamic-style warm-ups is that they require space that most gyms simply don’t have. The idea, then, is to find a series of moves that get you ready to train, don’t take a lot of time, and that you can perform while standing in the same place. Here’s how it’s done.
The Workout
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Low Jack
1
10
Seal Jack
1
10
Bodyweight Squat
1
10
Band Good Morning
1
10
Band Shoulder Stretch
1
10
Band Pull Apart
1
10
Hip Circles
1
10
Hip Flexor Stretch
1
10
Leg Swings
1
10
Side Leg Swings
1
10
Warm-Up Exercises
Low Jack
Performed like a jumping jack, except your arms cross in front of you at your waist.
Seal Jack
Performed like a jumping jack, but your arms come in and out to the side at chest height.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Step forward into a lunge. Lean back and raise the arm opposite your forward foot over your head and behind it.
Body Weight Squat
Put a broomstick on your shoulders or your hands behind your head and squat.
Band Good Morning
Stand on one end of a looped band with the other end behind your head and perform good mornings.
Band Shoulder Stretch
Hold the ends of a band, stretch your arms to full extension, and reach up and behind your head.
Band Pull-Apart
Hold a band at its ends at chest height and pull your hands directly out to the sides so your body forms a “T.”
Hip Circles
Lean against a wall with arms extended and trace circles with your knees.
Leg Swings
Performed like the side leg swing, but legs should move front to back.
