Outside Online: Work Hurts Badly Enough

The 5-Minute Warm-Up for Any Sport
Just a few quick moves will set up your body to perform at its best in any sport and keep you injury-free while you work
By: Michael Easter//Mar 20, 2017

We can’t blame you for wanting to skip the fitness foreplay and go straight into your sport, especially when time is limited. But the hurried approach does more than just slow your first few miles or stiffen your reps. When you drop the hammer before your body is ready, at best you’re limiting your performance potential; at worst, you’re putting yourself at much greater risk for injury, according to researchers at the University of Alabama.

Many people skip the warm-up because they assume an effective routine must also be a long one. But science tells us that’s just not the case. The right set of moves can prep and prime your body in just five minutes, says Doug Kechijian, co-founder of Resilient Performance Physical Therapy, in New York City. “An ideal warm-up elevates your heart rate and body temperature, allows you to move better during your activity, and gets your system ready to fire,” he explains.

Kechijian has worked with every type of athlete in the book, from Special Forces soldiers and NBA stars to professional outdoorspeople and amateur gym-goers. He says the majority of people dream up and then abandon complicated warm-ups. In reality, he says, most of us have the same tight areas and benefit from the same drills, so a one-size-fits-all routine is more feasible than you might think. Kechijian pulled the six most-powerful moves from his arsenal and bundled them into your new no-excuses warm-up routine. Move through the set continuously before jumping into your workout.

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