Warming up before a workout or performance is not just essential but a game-changer. It ensures injury prevention and peak performance. Whether you’re about to play sports, strength train, or engage in any physical activity, it is a must to limber up with a full-body warm-up regimen.

We have put together an easy 10-minute warm-up routine so that you keep injuries at bay and prime your muscles for maximum performance. Let’s first get to understand the need to warm up.

Why do you need a Warm-Up Routine?

Our muscles and joints are also at rest when we are physically inactive during rest, sleep, or commute. With warm-up, we activate muscles and joints, triggering the central nervous system to turn on. If we don’t get straight to intense workouts, we may strain muscles which can lead to injuries. Besides, warming up improves blood circulation and flexibility.

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The 10-Minute Warm-Up Routine

Take these steps to get your body ready for any workout. It is advised to perform each of the below-mentioned exercises for up to 1 minute in the same sequence.

1. Arm Circles

• Extend your arms out to the sides.
• Make small, controlled circles.
• Increase the circle size gradually.
• This helps loosen your shoulder joints and increase blood flow.

2. Hip Circles

• Place your hands on your hips and rotate them in a wide circle, like a hula hoop.
• Perform clockwise for the first 30 seconds.
• Perform counterclockwise rotations for the next 30 seconds.
• This will help open up your hip joints
• This exercise is crucial before running activities.

3. Leg Swings

• Hold onto a wall.
• Swing one leg forward and backward for 15 seconds
• Sing the leg side to side thereafter for 15 seconds.
• Now, do the same with the other leg.
• It is great to activate your hip muscles and improve mobility.

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4. March or Jog in Place

• Lift your knees high while walking/marching in the same position.
• It helps improve blood flow throughout the body.

5. Jumping Jacks or Step Jacks

• This is a classic cardio activity to raise your heart rate 
• This helps wake your body up for intense training.

6. Walking or Supine Knee Hugs

• Pull one knee toward your chest and pause for a bit
• Do the same with the other leg.
• Supine Knee Hugs activate the glutes and hamstring muscles.

7. Bodyweight Squats

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body into a squat 
• Keep your chest up and knees aligned.
• This warm-up exercise helps loosen lower body muscles.

8. Push Ups

• Start with your palms flat on the floor, right below your shoulders.
• Lift your body up to a plank position.
• Slowly lower the body toward the floor, keeping the form. 
• Lower and squeeze the shoulder blades.
• Perform a set of 10-20 reps.
• Push-up exercise helps activate the chest, shoulders, and core muscles.

9. T-Rotations (Spiderman Lunges)

• Start from a push-up position.
• Bring one foot next to your hand and rotate your torso upwards.
• Now do the next side.
• Do it for a minute
• This exercise will enhance spinal mobility besides loosening hip muscles.

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10. Inchworms

• Stand tall and bend forward to touch your toes.
• Walk your hands forward to a plank position and walk them back then.
• The exercise helps activate the core, shoulders, and hamstrings.

All the above-mentioned exercises will take some to master. Make sure you keep the form and if not been able to, skip to the next one.

It’s time you make warming up a non-negotiable in your workout regime. Remember that it’s the foundation of any and every workout.

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