To help you get in an effective warmup while keeping in mind that none of us have all day, Thrive coach Elijah Trusty has designed a five-minute warmup filled with dynamic movements that activate and stretch your muscles and get your heart rate up, priming you for a more effective workout.
That’s why Prime is the first step of every Thrive workout. Our Thrive coaches are world-class experts in helping you move better, so that you get more out of every workout. Try it for free here.
The Ultimate 5-Minute Warm-Up for a More Effective Workout
Directions: Perform the following exercises in order. When you’re done, you’ll be primed and ready for your workout.
1. 90/90, 3-5 breaths per side
The benefit: This move activates your glutes. You’ll feel your glutes turn on, which is important prior to your workout, especially if you’ve been sedentary for a period of time.
How to do it: Sitting on the ground, position your legs in two 90-degree angles, with your right leg making an L shape in front of you, and your left leg creating an L shape that reaches behind you. The heels of both feet should be aligned. Turn your belly button toward the knee of your right leg and lean slightly forward, elongating your spine and driving your feet and knees through the floor. Exhale through pursed lips as though you’re blowing out a candle. Hold this position for three to five breaths, then repeat on the other side.
2. 90/90 with Internal Rotation, 1-3 breaths per side
The benefit: This move gives the hip flexors a good stretch, which is important for mobility.
How to do it: In the same starting position as the 90/90, place both hands behind you, push your feet and knees down into the ground, and turn your body away from your forward knee. Hold this stretch for one to three breaths, then repeat on the other side.
3. Half-Kneeling Adductor Rocks, 5 reps per side
The benefit: This is a great dynamic stretch for your inner thigh and your hamstrings, which you’ll need for moves that engage your lower body, like deadlifts.
How to do it: Get into a table-top position, with your wrists beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips, driving your toes into the ground. Extend one leg straight out to the side. Take a big breath in and, on an exhale, rock your hips back toward the ground behind you, keeping your hands pressed firmly into the ground. Rock back up on an inhale and repeat for five reps before switching sides.
4. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor, 3-5 breaths on each side
The benefit: This is a time-saving stretch that stretches the hip flexors and quads at the same time.
How to do it: Get into a half-kneeling position with your back toes tucked into the floor. Press the toes of your back foot into the floor and, activating your hamstring, pull your heel toward your body without actually moving your foot. At the same time, push your front knee forward and reach the opposite arm up toward the sky, exhaling through pursed lips. Repeat for three to five breaths then switch sides.
5. Lateral Squat, 5 reps on each side
The benefit: This move dynamically warms up your muscles, and really helps turn on your hips and glutes. Don’t be surprised if this is uncomfortable. Many adults are weaker in this plane of motion. Over time, doing this move will help you loosen up not be as tight.
How to do it: Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Bend your left knee as though you were squatting down onto a box to one side, allowing the opposite leg to straighten while extending your arms forward. Come back to standing and repeat. If you find this difficult, you can hold onto TRX straps or a beam for assistance.
6. Forward Lunge, 5 reps on each side
The benefit: This exercise helps turn on your hips, glutes, and quads while dynamically warming up your muscles.
How to do it:Standing with your feet hip-width distance apart, step into a lunge until your front leg forms a 90-degree angle, holding your arms parallel to the ground in front of your body. Step back up to a standing position and bring your arms back to your sides.
7. Knee-to-Chest, walk for 20 yards
The benefit: This will dynamically stretch your glutes, without over stretching. Dynamic stretching is a great way to get your muscles ready before doing athletic movements.
How to do it: Walk, stopping each step to hug your knee up and in toward your chest.
8. Leg Cradle, walk for 20 yards
The benefit: This exercise stretches your hip rotators, which primes your lower body for dynamic exercise.
How to do it: This stretch is similar to the previous exercise, but instead of hugging your knee straight in toward your chest, turn your knee out so that as you hug your leg in, your knee creates a 45-degree angle and your shin crosses your body.
9. High Knees, repeat across 20 yards
How to do it: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Rapidly drive alternating knees up to a 90-degree angle, as though you were sprinting while slowly inching forward.
The benefit: This exercise will “wake up” your body and get your heart rate up, priming you for your workout.
10. Butt-Kickers, repeat across 20 yards
The benefit: Like high knees, this move reinforces sprint mechanics, while getting your heart rate up, which helps prime you for your workout.
How to do it: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Rapidly drive alternating heels up to nearly tap your butt while slowly inching forward.
