Minimise injury risk and maximise performance by priming your body with this simple three-minute warm-up.

Warming up properly is crucial for minimising the risk of injury and ensuring you’re able to get the most out of your workout.

Limber up your joints and muscles with this full-body warm-up circuit before every strenuous session.

Alternatively, use it as a standalone routine to loosen up your joints and improve recovery-assisting blood flow.

HOW TO:

  • Perform 30 secs of each warm-up drill.
  • Perform the exercises back-to-back.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1a. Wrist Roll

  • Stand tall with your hands clasped directly in front of you, with your fingers interlocking.
  • Roll your hands around in a circle, rotating at the wrist.
  • Repeat three times, then change directions for another three rotations.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1b. Kneeling Ankle Rocker

  • Go down on one knee, with your front knee at a 90-degree angle and your foot directly beneath it, keeping your chest up.
  • Place your hands on top of each other on your front knee, then rock forward, keeping everything in line, with your chest up and your front heel on the floor.
  • Rock back to the starting position and repeat.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1c. Standing Single-Leg Slide Around

  • Stand tall with your feet together.
  • Step your left leg across and behind you to the right, then squat down, using your arms to balance.
  • Push up through your leg and return to the starting position.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1d. Standing Wide-Leg Weight Shift and Low Reach

  • Stand with your legs as wide apart as you can comfortably manage, keeping your toes pointing forward.
  • Reach down with both hands and touch your right foot, bending your right knee but keeping your trailing leg straight.
  • Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side.

RELATED: Four Mobility Stretches To Do Daily 

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1e. Step Forward and Torso Rotation

  • Step forward with your front leg and lower yourself into a spit squat position, keeping your chest up.
  • Rotate your arms and torso to your left, keeping your head upright.
  • Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1f. Deep Ape Sit with Side Reach

  • Lower yourself into a deep squat position, with your feet pointing slightly outwards, your elbows in between your knees and your torso upright.
  • Reach across to your right-hand side, just past your feet, with both hands and touch the floor.
  • Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side.

Do This Simple Warm Up Before You Work Out | Men's Fitness UK

1g. Four-Point Crab Lift

  • Starting from a sitting position, place your hands on the floor behind you facing backwards and lift yourself off the ground, with both feet planted and facing forward.
  • Push upwards through your legs, fully extending your hips and lifting your torso while keeping your arms straights to form a capital M shape with your body.
  • Lower yourself back to the start position.

 

Photography: Joel Anderson and Danny Bird