8 Warm Up Exercises To Prevent Injury

Fitness expert Mukul Nagpaul explains why these dynamic pre-workout exercises are important to prevent injury.

A key component of any workout is a dynamic warm-up.

In simple terms, a dynamic warm-up is 'moving while you stretch' or stretching through a joint's full range of motion and preparing muscles for more intense exercise to come.

A dynamic warm-up promotes blood flow, helps prevent injury and muscle soreness, as well as helps improve overall performance.

The key is to practice these consistently and to make sure it is progressive, so the body can adapt as you challenge it with new exercises.

To prevent injury, improve exercise form, and make your workouts more effective, you must warm up properly before exercising.

If you want to prepare your muscles, tendons, and joints for additional strength training, try this set of dynamic lower body warm up exercises.

1. Run in place: 60 seconds

Stand straight, open your chest, pull your knees up and slowly land on the balls of your feet.

2. Butt kicks: 60 seconds

Kick your feet up, until the heels touch the glutes, and pump your arms at the same time.

3. Jumping Jacks: 60 seconds

Start with your feet together and your hands by your sides.

Take a step to one side and bring your hands above your head.

Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

4. Heel walk : 60 seconds

Start off by standing with good posture, chest up and out and shoulders back.

Raise both of your toes off the ground.

Step forward with your right leg and drive your heel into the ground.

Keep the toes pointed upwards at all times. This will help strengthen your tibialis anterior, the muscle around the front of your shin.

Step forward with your left leg and continue this process.

5. Toe walk : 60 seconds

Start off by standing with good posture, chest up and out and shoulders back.

Raise both of your heels off the ground, balancing on the balls of your feet.

Step forward with your right leg, driving the ball of your foot into the ground. Toes should be pointed down. This will activate and isolate your calf muscles.

Step forward with your left leg and continue this process.

6.Walking quad stretch: 60 seconds

Start off with good posture, chest up and out and shoulders back.

Bend your right knee and grab your ankle behind you with your right hand as you pull your heel into your gluteus muscle.

At the same time, rise up onto the ball of your left foot.

7. Forward leg swings: 30 seconds + 30 seconds 

Stand up straight and hold onto a wall.

Swing one leg forward and backward in a single smooth movement. Switch legs.

8. Lateral leg swings: 30 seconds + 30 seconds 

Swing your leg across your body from left to right. Switch legs and swing from right to left.

All these exercises help to prevent injury and muscle soreness as well as improve overall athletic performance.

The key is to practice these exercises consistently and to make sure it is progressive, so the body can adapt as you challenge it!

Mukul Nagpaul is founder, PMF Training that provides customised workout services.