Disclaimer: While this workout plan has been created with your safety in mind all physical activity caries a small risk of injury. Please take your own safety into consideration and don’t do anything you are not comfortable with or feel safe doing.
Perform this warm up routine before you start your workout.
1. Lying thoracic rotation
Dynamic movement to enhance mobility and range of motion in the spine.
Side lying position & use block to support your knee, keep your arms straight out, with lower leg straight and upper leg bent at 90 degrees at the knee and hip. Rotate top arm up and behind.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
2. Figure-4 knee rotation
Ankle on knee, drive foot flat to the ground at your side. Keep arms out to the sides and out like a T shape and rotate your hips so your foot reaches the floor.
Repetitions: 5-10 left 5-10 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
3. Cat-Cow
Breathe out hollowing stomach and lowering head, breathe in letting stomach sag down and raise head. Focus on the movement rather than forcing the range of motion.
Repetitions: 5-10 times
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
4. Bird-Dog
Move slowly and controlled, driving your heel back. Pause for 1-2 seconds then return to the start position.
Repetitions: 10 left 10 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 2
Weight: none
Rest between sets: 15-20 seconds
5. Foot and Ankle circles
Rotate your ankle to try to make big circles with your foot. Rotate both directions.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1-2
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
6. Hip circles
Lift your knee and make big circles in front of you with your knee. Rotate both directions then switch leg.
Repetitions: 5 each direction left and right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement to start with then increase speed
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
7. Knee hugs
Lift your knee up towards your chest and pull up slightly with your hands.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
8. Hip Swings (Adduction/Abduction)
Swing your leg from side to side.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
9. Hamstring swing
Swing your leg out to the front and then behind you. Keep your knee straight when swinging to the front.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
10. Calf step backs
Take a step back and land on the ball of your foot, then press your heel into the floor.
Repetitions: 10 left 10 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
11. Shoulder swings
Rotate your arms to warm up the shoulders.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right both directions
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
12. Kneeling Hay baler
Stand with right knee bent at 90 degrees, and left leg out behind you but not kneeling. Left arm at 90 degrees, palm forwards. Right arm palm back. Rotate shoulders to the right side. Look forwards, only rotate at the shoulder/thoracic region.
Repetitions: 10 left 10 right
Tempo: Slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
Single leg balance exercise to try out at the end of your warm-up.
Stand on one leg, swing forwards from the hip. Engage your core muscles and work from the hip/glute muscles to stay balanced. Only reach forward as far as you can to maintain balance. Over time you will be able to get further.
Repetitions: 5 left 5 right
Tempo: Very slow and controlled movement
Sets: 1
Weight: none
Rest between sets: none
Wrist mobility exercises.
Hold something in your hand, gripping it lightly. The aim of this is to rotate, flex, and extend your wrist in every direction it can move.
(a) Rotate your wrists round in both directions.
(b) Flex and extend your wrists.
(c) Move your wrist horizontally in both directions.
The video below will give you rough outline on what to try.
This is the end of your warm-up.