Aerobic Warm-up Exercises

Warm-up is done before any exercise to prepare the body for your training physical demands.

Warm-up lasts between 5-10 minutes and focuses on the whole body.

Warm-up objectives are:

Increase heart rate
1. This increases blood flow to muscles
  1. Carrying nutrients and oxygen needed for the exercise
Increase respiratory rate
1. Allows more oxygen to be inhaled
Increase the temperature of the tissues
1. Increases muscle contractions
  1. Improving the efficiency of contraction-relaxation periods
2. Increases the flexibility of the tissues

Choose one of these warm-up activities and write them down in your Daily Exercise Plan.

They apply to all levels, sets are 1 and the duration is 5-10 minutes.

Index of Warm-Up Exercises:

Treadmill
Stationary bike
Elliptical trainer
Spinning bike
Step-ups
Jumping jacks
Jump rope
Jogging

Stretching and flexibility exercises are done before you begin your exercise routine. However, the following exercises should not be done before the previous aerobic warming-up exercises.

New research has suggested that performing static flexibility movements prior to training decrease performance. Therefore, the following list of exercises is dynamic stretches.

You will do all the exercises below. Write on your Daily Exercise Plan stretching, in the Warm-up section.

The sets are 1 for each exercise and the duration is approximately 30 seconds per repetition. You can print the following guide to serve as reference.

Click on each link to go directly to that exercise.

Index of Dynamic Stretching Exercises:

Warm-up Flexibility Exercises

1. Front Lunges with Rotation

Preparation: Start in the standing position with your feet apart and your back straight. Extend and raise your arms to shoulder level.

Movement:

1. Give an extreme step forward flexing the leg moved and stretching the back one.

2 Rotate your torso to the side of the bent leg.

3 Return your torso to the front position.

4 Bring the stretched leg forward flexing it to the level of the other one.

5. Return to the preparation position and repeat with the other leg.

Note: There are four total movements being performed rapidly. The tempo is 1,2,3,4. Perform 4 repetitions with each leg. Do not stretch excessively to the point of feeling pain. The movement should be rhythmical and easy.

2. Lateral Lunges

Preparation: Start in the standing position with your feet apart and your back straight. Extend and raise your arms to shoulder level.

Movement:

Give and extreme step to the side flexing the leg moved and stretching the other.
Bring the straight leg, flexing it, toward the opposite leg.
Return to the preparation position and repeat with the other leg.

3. Swinging of Arms and Legs

Preparation: Start in the standing position with your feet apart and your back straight.

Movement:

Lift one leg forward into the air and extend your opposite hand forward, parallel to the floor. The other hand stretches back.
Swing the leg in the air back and exchange the position of the arms. The leg is extended back.
Repeat the swing motion with the same leg.
Return to the preparation position and repeat with the other leg.

Note: Two movements in total are rapidly performed. The tempo is 1,2. Perform 8 repetitions with each leg. Do not stretch excessively to the point of feeling pain. The movement should be rhythmical and easy. Remember to keep your back straight and do not move the other leg or torso while the arms move.

4. Joint Rotation

Preparation: Start in the standing position with your feet apart and your back straight.

Movement:

1. Wrists

Rotate your wrists in a circular motion 2 times with bent elbows.
Extend your elbows and repeat the move #1.

Note: There are four total movements being performed rapidly. The tempo is 1,2,3,4. Perform 8 repetitions.

2. Neck

Rotate your neck in circular motion 8 times.

3. Ankles

Bend your leg and leave it in the air.
Rotate your ankles in a circular motion 8 times.
Repeat with the other leg.

5. Quick Releves and Plies

Preparation: Start standing with your legs apart and with toes pointing outward (making a Y).

Movement:

Get up on tiptoes trying to raise the metatarsals. Your heel is up in the air. (Position called relevé in ballet)
With your back straight bend your knees.
With your knees bent still, lower your heels to the floor. (Position called plie in ballet)
Extend the knees and return to the preparation phase.

Note: There are four total movements being performed rapidly. The tempo is 1,2,3,4. Perform 8 repetitions. Remember to keep your back straight and do not move the torso, while the legs move. You can use your arms for balance.

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