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Crossfit Dynamic Warmup Moves

If you are planning on doing a high intensity workout such as crossfit or HIIT training, it is important to incorporate a dynamic warm up to the muscle groups and joints you are about to use. A dynamic warm up is one that will elevate your heart rate, could involve large and small movements and mimics movements similar to what you will be doing in your workout. 

Some of the benefits of a dynamic warm up include:

  • Injury Prevention
  • Improves blood flow to the muscles you will be exercising
  • Improves range of motion by increasing joint mobility and muscular flexibility

Your CrossFit warm up should take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Many “crossfit/HIIT” style workouts involve whole body movements which is why developing a warm up routine that targets the whole body is key! 

The most common body parts to target during a Warm up for crossfit style workouts are:

  • Spine 
  • Shoulders
  • Hips 
  • Knees 
  • Ankles 
  • Wrists 

Try adding theses movements to your warm ups: 

Move 1: – Around The Worlds 

How does this move help?

This move helps to improve range of motion at your shoulder joint and will be beneficial for warming up any overhead movements. 

Tip: Try not to move your head or neck, start with a wide grip on the bar and progress to a more narrow grip as your shoulders loosen up 

Move 2: – Shoulder pass throughs

How does this move help?

This move helps to improve range of motion at your shoulder joint and will be beneficial for warming up any overhead movements. 

Tip: Try not to move your head or neck, start with a wide grip on the bar and progress to a more narrow grip as your shoulders loosen up 

Move 3- Inch Worms 

How does this move help?

This move stretches the hamstrings, increases spinal mobility, increases blood flow to shoulders, elevates heart rate. 

Tip: Make sure you’re core is staying engaged when walking your hands out in front of you 

Move 4- Lunge w/ shoulder flexion and thoracic extension 

How does this move help?

This move works to improves hip/ knee/ankle mobility, improves blood flow to legs.

Tip: To make this dynamic, try walking lunges  

 

Move 5- High knees & Butt Kicks 

How does this move help?

This move is a great warm up movements for workouts involving running or jumping and elevates heart rate. 

Move 6- Plank into hip flexion w/ thoracic rotation 

 plank into hip flexion with thoracic rotation

 

How does this move help?

This move works to activates your core, improves hip mobility, improves spinal mobility. 

Tip: Drop the back knee as a modification, think about rotating your chest up and looking up towards ceiling when doing twist, keep front knee in line with big toe

Move 7- Weight bearing wrist stretches 

weight bearing wrist stretch
weight bearing wrist stretch

How does this move help?

This dynamic move stretches wrist joints and forearm muscles, useful when doing movements that have high requirements for wrist mobility/stability such as front squat, overhead squat, wall balls, snatch, planks, etc.   

Tip: Rock forward and back gently, position your hands as shown in the pictures 

It is important to note if you have pain doing any of these warm up movements. There is a difference between a “stretch” which may feel mildly uncomfortable vs pain that requires you to change how you move or stop what you’re doing all together. Our staff at Therapydia are all trained to assess movement and address pain, dysfunction and decrease risk of further injury! Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any issues. 

Jessica Jones

Physical Therapist

Jessica recently moved to Seattle from Boston, MA and is excited to join the Therapydia team. Her treatment experience includes orthopedics, sports medicine, pediatrics, and vestibular therapy. Jessica received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA in 2016. She has completed the Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and is in the process of completing a Comprehensive Vestibular Rehabilitation certification. Jessica believes in empowering and inspiring patients to take control of their health through education, movement, and exercise. She enjoys treating patients of all ages and levels while utilizing soft tissue techniques, neuromuscular re-education, balance training as well as therapeutic exercise. In her free time, Jessica enjoys yoga, dancing, kayaking, and hiking with her dog!

 

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