5 bodyweights warm up for beginners

12 May 2022

Siji Premachandran

5 bodyweights warm up for beginners

Warm up for beginners is essential before engaging in any physical activity. A warm-up helps increase blood flow to the muscles, improve range of motion, and prevent injuries. While there are many ways to warm up, using bodyweight exercises is an effective and convenient option. Here are some benefits of bodyweight warm up exercises.

Benefits of bodyweight warm up exercises

They can be done anywhere.
They don’t require any equipment.
They help improve range of motion
They help improve flexibility
They help improve muscular endurance.
They help reduce the risk of injury.
They help improve mental focus and concentration.
Warm up increases body temperature leading to improved vasodilation and better delivery of oxygen to working muscles
Adequate warm up prevents injury to the muscles (pulls and tears), tendons, ligaments and connective tissues.
They can be incorporated into any workout routine regardless of the type of training being performed that day.

How hard should bodyweight warm up be?

The intensity for Warm up, particular for beginners should start from a low intensity and gradually build the intensity higher which allows body temperature to elevate while also preparing the muscles, joints and tendons for the main workout.

We have selected 5 best beginner warm up exercises which activates all the major muscles groups in our body.

1. Arm circles

Arm circles primarily targets the joints and muscles in the upper body such as deltoids and pectoralis. This beginner warm up exercise can be performed in 3 different sets. The initial movement are kept smaller to prime the shoulder joints and gradually the range of motion is increased. In addition to being a great warm up movement, arm circles also enhance the mobility of your shoulders.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Extend your arms straight out to your sides, so that they are parallel to the floor
Start by making small circles in the forward direction for 10 seconds.
Progress to medium circles for another 10 seconds and then make large circles for the final 10 repetition in the forward direction.
Now repeat this exercise by making small circles in the reverse direction for 10 seconds.
Progress to medium circles for another 10 seconds and then make large circles for the final 10 reps in the reverse direction.

Muscles worked

The arm circles work the shoulder muscles in 3 directions. It activates anterior, mid and posterior deltoid muscles.

To watch the full warm up sequence on Youtube, follow the link below:

2. Marching in place

Marching in place is considered as a low-impact exercise and it does help to burn some extra calories. According to the American Council on Exercise, marching in place is a great beginner warm up for people those who are overweight. This exercise offers great cardio vascular benefits without the risk of injury that’s associated with high-impact activity.

Instructions

Begin the exercise by standing tall and keep hands on the side.
Bring the right arm forward and bend the elbow at at 90o angle.
Simultaneous raise your left knee and bend your leg at 90o angle.
Repeat on the opposite side and keep alternating sides until set is complete.

3. Bodyweight Squats

Our warm up for beginners list cannot be complete without the bodyweight squat. Bodyweight squats is another low impact warm up routine that can be performed anywhere. The squats primarily works the muscles in the lower body including quadriceps, hamstring, glutes, soleus and gastrocnemius (calves).

Instructions

To begin the squat stand as tall as you can with your feet spread shoulder-width apart
Take a deep breath in, engage your core and hold your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder level
Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees
Straighten your legs and slowly push yourself back to the starting position while breathing out

4. Leg swings

Leg swings are excellent dynamic warmup for your lower body. This exercise when performed as a warm up, primarily works the hip flexors, glutes and legs for improving mobility and flexibility. This is a great bodyweight workout which can be added to one of the must-to-do warm up exercises for running beginners.

Instructions

To perform leg swing stabilise your upper body by keeping torso upright and brace your core. (You may use support of a wall or a pillar to provide additional balance thought the movement)
Ensure you have enough space in the front and back of your legs to allow free swing of your legs.
Keeping one leg firmly planted to the ground, slowly swing the opposite leg forward and backward in a controlled motion.
Slowly increase the range of motion and increase the height and pace of the swings as you progress.
Perform desired number of reps on one leg before switching sides and performing swings using the opposite leg.

5. Jumping Jacks

Jumping Jacks is a cardiovascular exercise that engages every muscle group in your body, especially when you keep your core engaged to fire up the abdominal and back muscles. When performing the jumping jacks, you will not only burn fat but also toning the muscles too! Just be sure to keep a brisk pace to keep your heart rate up and maintain the aerobic benefits of this exercise.

Instructions

Stand up straight with your legs together and your arms down at your side.
Bend your knees slightly and begin the jump. As you jump, spread your legs to about shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms out and over your head, so they almost clap together.
Jump again and return your arms and legs to the starting position.

To read more about the importance of warm up and the 10 benefits associated with warm up, read our article ” What is the importance of warm up? 10 benefits of warm up exercises“.