8 Warm-Up Exercises to Prepare for Your Workout: A Dynamic Warm-Up Guide

Warming up shouldn’t be optional—it’s part of the workout. Whether you’re planning to do a strength session, speed workout on the track, or hit the trails on a bike, warming up helps prepare both your body and mind for performance. Specifically, it helps increase blood flow, activates key muscles, and primes your body for better performance.

Before you jump into your main workout, taking just a few minutes to warm up your muscles can improve mobility, reduce joint and muscle stiffness, and help you move with more control and confidence

“Warming up before a workout helps all aspects of the body—from your muscles and joints, to your lungs, and even prepares your nervous system for movement,” says Hanna Kearney, PT, DPT. “Your warm-up sets the foundation for your upcoming workout, whether you’re doing cardio, strength training, or functional movements.”

From a physiological standpoint, warming up—especially with dynamic (active) warm-ups—increases muscle temperature, improving elasticity and reducing stiffness. Research suggests that warmer muscles are less stiff and better prepared for movement, which is linked to improved performance and lower injury risk.

A warm-up also increases oxygen-rich blood flow to working muscles, helping your body (and mind) get ready for higher-intensity movement, says Joey Masri, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS.

Here are some of the main benefits, according to Masri.

• Increased muscle temperature: Improves muscle function and reduces stiffness
• Improved nerve signaling and muscle activation: Helps your body react quicker and move with better control
• Improved oxygen uptake: Helps your body shift smoothly from low to high intensity.
• Increased range of motion: Research shows dynamic movements support joint mobility.
• Better focus and mental readiness: “Warming up allows time to prepare the body and mind,” says Kearney. “It’s almost like studying for a big test.”
• Lower injury risk: A warm-up helps your body handle movement better by preparing muscles, joints, and how they work together.

A dynamic warm-up uses controlled, movement-based exercises to raise your heart rate and get blood flowing to stiff muscles. Unlike static stretching—where you hold a position for several counts for anywhere from 15 to 60 seconds—dynamic movements are designed to prepare your body for the demands of exercise.

“Dynamic warm-ups include movement in controlled ranges of motion while activating muscle fibers to contract,” explains Kearney. “They increase blood flow to targeted areas.”

Static stretching, on the other hand, is often more useful after your workout, when you’re ready to slow down and release tension from muscles that have been working hard. “Static stretches can help reduce overall reactivity to pain,” says Kearney.

Just as there are many types of workouts, there are many ways to warm up. The most effective dynamic warm-ups prepare your body for the specific movements and demands of the workout ahead.

“I like my warm-ups to mimic movements that are needed for the specific workout I’m doing,” says Kearney. For example:

• Before running: focus on ankle and knee mobility.
• Before strength training: prioritize joint mobility and muscle activation.
• Before HIIT or power workouts: include plyometric or springy movements to prepare joints and tendons for impact.

Before lifting, mobility drills and lighter sets help prepare your body for the main movements, Masri says. For running or cardio, dynamic drills can improve form. For power or HIIT sessions, plyometric drills help coordinate the nervous system and ready the body for high-impact activity, he adds.

These exercises help warm up your muscles and joints all over your body. You don’t need to do all of them before your workout, though. Consider a few of the below depending on the type of workout you’re planning to do.

This dynamic, full-body move opens up your hips and warms up your lower body by also moving your knees and ankles through a controlled range of motion, Masri says.

Targets: Ankles, knees, hips, hamstrings

How to do it:

• Hinge your hips down and back, grabbing your toes or shins
• Lower your hips into a deep squat while lifting your arms and keeping your chest tall
• Stand back up with control
• Repeat

Reps: Start by doing 10 of these before your workout.

This move helps improve hip mobility while adding upper-back rotation, making it a time-efficient way to prep your entire body for strength or cardio workouts, Masri says.

Targets: Hips, hamstrings, thoracic spine

How to do it:

• Start in a plank position, then step your right foot up toward your hands
• Lift your left hand and rotate your chest upward, reaching comfortably toward the ceiling
• Place your hand back down and switch sides
• Step your right foot back towards your left, then move your left foot forward, and repeat

Reps: Start by doing 10 reps in total.

Leg swings are a quick way to prepare your hips for running, squatting, or jumping by gradually increasing their range of motion, Masri says.

Targets: Hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings

How to do it:

• Hold onto a wall, fence, or rail for balance
• Swing one leg front-to-back, then side-to-side
• Start small and increase the range gradually
• Repeat on the other side

Reps: 10–15 each direction, per leg

This dynamic move warms up your shoulders, core muscles, and hamstrings all at once, helping your body transition smoothly into full-body movement, Masri says.

Targets: Core, shoulders, hamstrings

How to do it:

• Fold forward and place your hands on the floor
• Walk your hands out to a plank
• Pause briefly, then walk feet toward hands

Reps: Start with 5-10 inchworms

This move activates the glutes so your hips can do the work during training, rather than overloading the lower back, Masri says.

Targets: Glutes, hips, hamstrings

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor
• Drive your hips up, squeezing your glutes at the top
• Pause, and then lower slowly down toward the ground with control

Reps: Start by doing 10 and then slowly work your way up to 20

This gentle, rotational movement helps reduce shoulder and upper-back tension while improving thoracic spine mobility, says Kearney.

Targets: Upper back, shoulders, chest

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with knees bent and arms stacked together at shoulder height
• Keeping your hips still, open your top arm across your body until your arms form a “T”
• Let your chest rotate toward the ceiling, then return to the start
• Switch sides and repeat

Reps: 10 per side, holding briefly at the open position

This movement prepares the groin and hips for side-to-side motion, improving lower-body control and stability, Masri says.

Targets: Groin, glutes, hips

How to do it:

• Step your right foot out as wide as comfortable
• Sit your hips back over that leg and hold for 1-2 counts
• Push back to the center and repeat on the left leg

Reps: Start by doing 5–10 on each side

These quick, springy movements help wake up the nervous system and prepare the body for impact during high-impact movements like running or HIIT workouts, Masri says.

Targets: Calves, ankles, knees

How to do it:

• Stay tall with your legs mostly straight.
• Start bouncing, quickly and lightly, pushing off your toes
• Try to land softly on the balls of your feet each time

Reps: 1-2 reps of 20-30 seconds each

If time is tight, keep it simple. Masri recommends starting with light movement, then layering in mobility and activation movements.

Sample 5-10 Minute Routine:

• 1-2 min light walk or jog
• 10 squat-to-stands
• 5 World’s Greatest Stretch each side
• 10 leg swings on each side
• 5-10 inchworms
• 10-20 glute bridges
• 20-second pogo hops

Even a few minutes makes a difference. “A few minutes of a warm-up is perfectly fine, compared to jumping into a workout cold,” Masri says.

While these warm-ups are generally considered safe, it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor or a licensed physical therapist before starting any new workout routine (warm-ups included!). “One size certainly does not fit all, and we all have our individual needs and considerations,” Masri says. “A board-certified physical therapist can assist in addressing any pains or injuries.”

Try not to overthink this part: You should feel loose, lightly warm, and ready to move—not fatigued.

“You know you’re ready for your workout when your body is begging for more movement,” says Kearney. Masri adds that a slightly elevated heart rate and light sweat are good signs you’re ready to go.