We all know how difficult leg day can be. For a lot of people, they dread it for that reason. I actually happen to be someone who likes leg days in the gym.
However, this could be partly due to the fact that I have a great leg day warm-up protocol.
Regardless of how you feel about leg day, it should be a part of your program.
For a smoother leg day, a leg warm-up is a great option. It can help prime the muscles in your legs and help prevent injuries.
That's what we'll be talking through today. I'll show you why it's important to do a leg warm-up, the benefits, and how to add it to your routine.
Let's get into it!
The Importance of Leg Day Warm-Up Exercises
Leg day can be the most challenging day in a workout program. I would argue that many people agree!
However, a good leg warm-up can help you perform better in your workouts. It can also help reduce the risk of injury during your workout.
Warming up your legs can have so many benefits that it truly doesn’t make sense to not warm up.
Benefits of Leg Warm-Ups
There are several benefits that come with a proper leg warm-up. Just like any other part of your body, you can get more out of your workouts when you do.
These benefits include, but are not limited to:
Increased Range of Motion: This can help you get more out of your workouts. An increased range of motion can help build strength and muscle more effectively.
Improved Workout Performance: A warmed-up muscle is a muscle that can perform more effectively.
Increased Blood Flow: The better your blood flow, the better your muscles get nourished with nutrients and support your workout.
What To Do For A Leg Warm-Up
When you're creating your leg day warm-up, there are many ways you can go about it. I recommend making sure you start with lower-intensity movements. From there, you can get into higher-intensity movements afterward.
This is to make sure you're slowly progressing your body into the workout. That way, you can perform at your best when it's time for resistance training.
I like to think of it as if I'm slowly working myself up to the workout.
So what can this look like? Well, there are quite a few ways you can warm up. This can be dynamic stretching, dynamic movements, and more!
Let's get into some of the best exercises you can do for your leg warm-up.
Exercises You Can Add To Your Leg Warm-Up
Let’s dive into specific ways to warm up for your leg workouts. The number of different exercises that you can add to your leg warm-up can be endless.
Feel free to pick and choose what works for you!
Here are eight leg warm-up exercises:
Walk/Jog
A brisk walk or jog is a great way to get your heart rate up and your muscles warm. As basic as it seems, it can be very effective. You can even mix it up by adding a slight incline if you're on a treadmill.
Either way, walking can help get the blood flowing in your legs and prime them for exercise quickly.
So, whether you do this on a treadmill or in the parking lot ... I definitely recommend it!
Good Mornings
Good mornings are a great way to warm up your glutes and hamstrings. They can also be a good way to get a slight stretch in your hips. For a leg warm-up, they can definitely be beneficial.
Heck, you won't even need weight to get your legs ready to perform.
Here’s how to perform good mornings:
1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Place your hands behind your head or crossed over your chest.
2. Brace your core and keep your back flat as you hinge your upper body forward at your hips. Your hips will push behind you simultaneously.
3. Bring your body forward until you can't push your hips back further.
4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to bring your hips forward and bring your body upright. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
5. Repeat this for reps.
Forward Leg Swings
This stretching movement can actually segue perfectly into a leg day workout. It's a dynamic stretch to warm up your calves, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, and more.
This is the best way to do this dynamic stretch:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. It also helps to stand close to a wall or bar you can grab hold of to maintain balance.
2. Start by swinging your right leg forward. Keep your leg straight, but not locked, and allow it to rise to a comfortable height in a fluid motion.
3. As your leg returns from the forward swing, let it swing back gently.
4. Switch legs after doing as many reps as you'd like.
Remember to breathe consistently as you swing your legs, inhaling and exhaling naturally. You can also switch this exercise up by swinging your leg laterally in front of your body. This can help engage and warm up the adductor and abductor muscles in your legs.
Cobra to Downward Dog
This movement combines two yoga poses, which can make for a great leg warm-up. Instead of holding these stretches, for your warm-up, it's best to remain in more of a slow, fluid motion. This can help make the stretch more dynamic for the sake of warming up.
These are the steps for moving between these two poses:
1. Place your hands flat on the ground, arms straight, and legs resting on the floor behind you.
2. Slowly bring your upper legs and hips to the ground, feeling a stretch in your abdomen. This is the Cobra.
3. Push your hips up and back as you shift your weight to your feet.
4. While keeping your hands planted on the ground, push through your shoulders to feel a stretch in your upper body. You should also begin to feel a stretch in your calves and hamstrings.
5. Keep pushing your hips back until you can't stretch further. This is Downward Dog.
6. Keep transitioning between the cobra and downward dog for several repetitions.
Walking Lunges
The lunge is a great way to warm up your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. It also helps stretch your hips.
A walking lunge allows you to perform this movement fluidly. You can even use it as part of your warm-up walk!
Here’s how to do this exercise:
1. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a step forward with one leg and lower your front hip into a lunge. Your back should remain straight and chest high.
3. Keep sinking into your hip until your back knee nearly touches the ground.
4. Push through your front heel and step your rear leg up to meet your feet at center.
5. Now, repeat this with your other leg, alternating between legs with each step.
You can also do this with a light set of dumbbells for a little more intensity and challenge. Just be careful not to go too heavy and turn it into a full-blown exercise.
After all, this is your leg warm-up!
Jumping Jacks
Like a walk or a jog, a jumping jack is a good way to get your muscles warm and your heart pumping before your workout.
Jumping jacks can work your whole body all at once. On top of that, they can engage your legs quite a bit. For this reason, I consider them a great leg warm-up.
If you need a refresher on how to do jumping jacks, here’s it is:
1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Simultaneously jump while spreading your legs wide and raising your arms above your head.
3. Jump again while returning your feet to the starting position and lowering your arms to your side.
4. Repeat this as many times as necessary!
High Knees
Moving your legs up and down is a great way to dynamically stretch your legs. High knees can also be a great way to engage your quads, calves, and more.
In my opinion, it's one of the best leg warm-ups out there! Your legs will be fully prepared to hit your workout hard.
Here’s how to do high knees:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Start running in place by lifting your knees as high as you can toward your chest.
3. Switch between your legs rapidly to create a jogging motion.
4. Repeat this for as many reps as you'd like or for a set period of time.
Butt Kicks
The name sounds silly, but this movement can be a powerful way to start your workout. It doubles as a great dynamic stretch for your quads and warm-up for your legs overall.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Similar to high knees, start jogging in place. This time, as you jog, kick your heels toward your glutes with each step.
3. Alternate between legs with each step and keep going for a set number of reps or period of time.
Creating the Ultimate Leg Warm-Up Routine
Ready to craft a leg warm-up routine? All you have to do is take a handful of these exercises and commit to 5-10 minutes.
These warm-ups elevate heart rate, increase blood flow, and warm up muscles and joints. After that, you will be fully prepared to dive right into your leg workout!
In other words, then it's time for the hard part!
Now, I know creating your own warm-up and workouts can be tough. It's also hard to know what to do and how much to do to reach your specific goals.
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