This warm-up consists of three movements, 3 sets of 10 reps, and should take you about five minutes to knock out. Keep a quick pace with little rest. Aim to get your heart rate up. Make sure to breathe and avoid tensing up, if possible.
moving hamstring stretch
dynamic quad stretch
cat/dog stretch
We’re prone to doing a warm-up pre-workout routine, but celebrity trainer Don Saladino (the dude in the video who happens to train Ryan Reynolds, David Harbour, Blake Lively and a slew of other A-listers) says this trio is beneficial to execute before a workout, mid-workout, post-workout — especially if you sit a lot at work. (If you don’t already, follow Don on Instagram and check out his YouTube page; he’s always posting useful training and nutrition tips, as well as workouts.)
This pre-workout routine develops length in the hamstrings, lower back, quads, and hip flexors, while also developing thoracic extension in your middle back, helping you rotate and extend out of the kyphotic (or forward) position our bodies tend to default to.
Moving hamstring stretch: Lie on your back with your leg raised at the waist and bend at the knee for 10 reps. Think about this as though you’re kicking the air in front of your body. Do each leg 10 times.
Dynamic quad stretch: Lie on your side, bend your leg at the knee and pull leg back, feeling a stretch up the quad and hamstring. Do each leg 10 times.
Cat/dog stretch: Start on your hands and knees, arch your lower, then middle, then upper back, raising your head towards the ceiling. Then move your chin to your chest, push away from the floor, moving through your upper, middle, and lower back. Move fluidly between the two positions 10 times.
