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Kate Mihevc Edwards PT, DPTExercises You Can Do to Improve Your Warmup
ntegrating plyometrics and dynamic warmup activity prior to performing physical activity is often recommended to reduce chances of injury occurring while doing what you love. I often like to include full body stabilization exercises in this mix for many of my athletes as a way of complementing the dynamic warm-up and plyometric activity. Learning how to stabilize the body appropriately when participating in sport activity may allow for optimal movement patterns with your legs and arms to prevent injury. All athletes can benefit from these activities, especially when engaging in sports that require a ball.
Here is a list of exercises to perform prior to any sport activity:
1. Prone plank
Total time: 2x45 seconds
Focus areas: push ground down away from elbows, tighten your butt, try to keep your back flat and face level with the ground
2. Side plank
Total time: 2x45 seconds
Focus areas: push ground down away from elbow with elbow directly underneath shoulder, push down firmly with bottom leg into ground, try to keep your back flat
3. Single leg bridge
Total amount: 2x8 with 5 second holds
Focus areas: press firmly into ground with arms, squeeze butt prior to lifting, press through entire foot to lift, keep back and body from rotating side to side
4. Squat with arms overhead
Total amount: 2x8 with 5 second holds at bottom
Focus areas: sit back with your hips, keep feet flat, press knees outward to maintain over ankles, avoid letting arms fall forward
This is just an example of how you can incorporate exercise like this into your warmup routine. There are plenty of other options out there depending on your sport. If you would like to know more about how you can integrate these types of exercises into your sport, please feel free to leave a comment.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dustin Lee PT, DPT