You wouldn’t floor the gas pedal on a freezing car and expect everything to go smoothly, right?
Yet a lot of us do exactly that to our bodies: we sit all day, then jump straight into sprints,
squats, or heavy bench presses and hope our muscles and joints just “figure it out.”
A smart warmup is your built-in safety and performance system: it raises your body temperature,
wakes up your nervous system, and tells your muscles, “Hey, showtime is coming.”
The good news: a good warmup doesn’t need to be complicated or take forever. In just 5–10 minutes,
you can move from “half-asleep slouch” to “ready to crush it” using simple warmup exercises that
fit into any workout plan. In this guide, we’ll break down why warming up matters, how long it
should take, and six effective warmup exercises you can mix and match into a routine you’ll
actually want to do.
Why warming up matters more than you think
A warmup is more than just tradition or something fitness instructors say so they can feel
responsible. Physiologically, it does several useful things:
- Raises your core temperature. Warmer muscles contract and relax more efficiently, which can help you move faster and with better control.
- Increases blood flow. Your body sends more oxygen and nutrients to working muscles, which can improve performance and delay fatigue.
- Lubricates joints. Gentle movement increases synovial fluid in your joints, making movements feel smoother and less creaky.
- Preps your nervous system. Dynamic movements “rehearse” the patterns you’re about to use, so your brain and muscles communicate more quickly.
- May reduce injury risk. While no warmup is a magic shield, going from zero to max effort is a common contributor to strains and tweaks.
On the mental side, a warmup also helps you switch gears. Those first few minutes create a
ritual: you leave behind email, traffic, and notifications and dial into your body. That focus
alone can make your workout feel better and more intentional.
How long should a warmup be?
For most people, a warmup of around 5–10 minutes is enough. The more intense
or technical your workout, the more thorough your warmup should be. Think of it this way:
- Light workout (easy walk, gentle cycling): 3–5 minutes of easy movement may be enough.
- Moderate workout (steady jog, full-body strength): Aim for around 5–10 minutes.
- Hard or explosive workout (heavy lifting, sprints, HIIT, plyometrics): Lean toward the longer end of 10 minutes and make it more specific.
You don’t need a stopwatch and a whistle. The basic rule: by the end of your warmup, you should
feel a little warmer, your breathing slightly elevated, and your body more “awake” but not
exhausted. If you’re already gassed, you just turned your warmup into a workout.
Warmup principles to keep in mind
Before we jump into specific warmup exercises, keep these simple principles in your back pocket:
- Start easy, then build. Begin with gentle, low-impact movement and progress to more dynamic exercises.
- Go dynamic, not static. Save long static stretches for after your workout. Before training, use moving stretches and active ranges of motion.
- Match the workout. If you’re about to squat, warm up your hips, knees, and ankles. If you’re pressing overhead, prep shoulders and upper back.
- Use full ranges of motion. Controlled, smooth movements through the range you’ll use in your workout help your joints feel ready.
- Respect your body. If something hurts (the bad kind of hurt), modify or skip it. A warmup should never feel sharp or painful.
6 warmup exercises to get you ready to move
You don’t need 20 different drills. These six warmup moves cover most major muscle groups and can
be scaled up or down depending on your fitness level.
1. March, walk, or jog in place
This is your “ease into it” move. It’s low-impact, simple, and can be done in a small space
perfect if you’re working out at home or at a gym where every treadmill is taken.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and your core gently braced.
- Begin marching in place, lifting your knees to a comfortable height.
- Let your arms swing naturally, or gently pump them like you’re power walking.
- After 30–60 seconds, you can morph into a light jog if it feels good.
Why it works: It gradually elevates your heart rate, warms up your hips and
ankles, and gently wakes up your lower body without pounding your joints.
Make it easier: Stick with marching and keep your knees lower.
Make it harder: Add a slight bounce, or include gentle side steps or backward steps.
2. Jumping jacks or low-impact jacks
Jumping jacks are a classic for a reason: they’re a full-body, rhythm-based way to boost your
heart rate and involve a lot of muscles at once. If your joints don’t love jumping, there’s an
easy low-impact variation.
How to do standard jumping jacks:
- Start with feet together and arms at your sides.
- Jump your feet out to about shoulder-width while raising your arms overhead.
- Jump your feet back together while bringing your arms down.
- Land softly, keeping your knees slightly bent. Continue for 30–45 seconds.
Low-impact option: Step one foot out to the side at a time instead of jumping, while still raising your arms.
Why it works: Jacks warm up your calves, thighs, glutes, shoulders, and even
your core, while quickly increasing your heart rate.
3. Leg swings and walking lunges
This combo targets your hips the main “hinge” for walking, running, squatting, and pretty
much any lower-body move. Tight hips are basically the office worker’s official uniform, so
spending time here pays off.
Leg swings (front-to-back and side-to-side):
- Hold onto a wall or sturdy surface for balance.
- Swing one leg forward and backward in a controlled arc, starting small and gradually increasing the range.
- Do 10–15 swings per leg.
- Then turn sideways and swing the leg across your body and out to the side for another 10–15 swings.
Walking lunges:
- Step forward with your right leg into a lunge, lowering until both knees are bent around 90 degrees (or as far as feels comfortable).
- Press through your front heel to stand and step forward into the next lunge with your left leg.
- Continue for 8–10 lunges per leg.
Why it works: Leg swings mobilize your hips, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
Walking lunges add strength, balance, and dynamic stretch great prep for running, leg day, or
sports.
4. Arm circles and shoulder rolls
If your workout involves pushing, pulling, or overhead moves, your shoulders deserve some love
before they start lifting anything heavier than a coffee mug.
How to do arm circles:
- Stand tall with arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Draw small circles forward for 20–30 seconds, gradually increasing the size of the circles.
- Reverse the direction and circle backward for another 20–30 seconds.
How to do shoulder rolls:
- Let your arms relax at your sides.
- Lift your shoulders toward your ears, roll them backward, and then down and around.
- Perform 10–15 rolls backward, then 10–15 forward.
Why it works: This combo increases blood flow to the shoulders and upper back,
loosens up tight desk posture, and helps your joints glide more smoothly before upper-body work.
5. Bodyweight squats and hip hinges
These moves simulate a lot of what you’ll actually do in a workout: bending, sitting back,
standing up, and lifting things off the floor. They also teach your body to use the right
muscles hips and glutes instead of dumping everything onto your lower back.
Bodyweight squats:
- Stand with feet about hip- to shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Push your hips back as if sitting into a chair, bending your knees.
- Keep your chest up and your weight in your heels and mid-foot.
- Lower to a comfortable depth, then stand back up. Do 10–15 reps.
Hip hinges (good morning-style):
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, soft bend in your knees.
- Place your hands on your hips or across your chest.
- Push your hips backward while keeping your back flat, like you’re closing a car door with your butt.
- When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, return to standing. Do 10–12 reps.
Why it works: Squats and hinges activate glutes, quads, and hamstrings and
rehearse the movement patterns you’ll use in lower-body strength training or everyday life.
6. Core and coordination: high knees and walkouts
Finally, we tie things together with moves that challenge your core, coordination, and a bit of
upper-body strength without jumping straight into full-on burpees.
High knees (marching or jogging):
- Stand tall and lift one knee toward your chest while driving the opposite arm forward.
- Alternate sides in a marching pattern for a low-impact version, or pick up the pace into a light jog.
- Continue for 30–45 seconds.
Inchworm walkouts:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips and place your hands on the floor (bend your knees as needed).
- Walk your hands forward into a high plank position, keeping your core tight.
- Hold for a breath or two, then walk your hands back toward your feet and stand up.
- Complete 4–6 reps.
Why it works: These moves fire up your midsection, reinforce posture, and
engage shoulders and legs perfect prep for full-body workouts or HIIT.
A simple 5–10 minute warmup routine
Not sure how to put all of this together? Here’s a sample routine you can adjust depending on
your fitness level and available time:
- 1–2 minutes: March, walk, or jog in place.
- 1 minute: Jumping jacks or low-impact jacks.
- 2 minutes: Leg swings (all directions) + walking lunges.
- 1–2 minutes: Arm circles and shoulder rolls.
- 2 minutes: Bodyweight squats and hip hinges.
- 1–2 minutes: High knees (marching or light jog) + inchworm walkouts.
That adds up to roughly 8–10 minutes long enough to feel genuinely ready, but short enough
that you don’t feel like you already did a whole workout just getting started.
As always, if you have a medical condition, past injuries, or any concerns about exercise,
check in with a healthcare professional or qualified trainer before making big changes to your
routine.
Real-world warmup experiences: what actually works
Most people don’t skip warmups because they hate moving; they skip them because they feel
awkward, rushed, or unsure what to do. Let’s look at some real-world scenarios and how a
simple warmup strategy can change the experience.
The “desk-to-dumbbells” person. You’ve been hunched over a laptop all day, and
now it’s time to lift. If you walk straight to the bench press, your shoulders are still living
in “email mode.” A quick routine of marching in place, arm circles, shoulder rolls, and a few
light sets with just the bar can be the difference between a smooth session and cranky
shoulders. People often notice that, after a good warmup, their first working set feels less
“shaky” and more controlled.
The runner in a hurry. Many runners used to jog out the door, hit full pace in
the first block, and then wonder why their shins and calves protested. When they switch to a
short pre-run routine 5 minutes of brisk walking, followed by leg swings, walking lunges, and
a few high-knee drills those early miles feel lighter. They also report needing less “time to
settle in,” because their bodies are already primed.
The beginner who feels intimidated at the gym. Stepping into a gym for the
first time can feel like landing in a foreign country where everyone else magically knows what
to do. Having a simple, repeatable warmup is like carrying a phrasebook. Even something as basic
as: 2 minutes of marching, 1 minute of low-impact jacks, 10 squats, 10 hip hinges, and 4
inchworms gives you a familiar routine that calms nerves and builds confidence.
The “I don’t have time” crowd. When you’re squeezing workouts between work,
kids, and life, it’s tempting to cut the warmup. But people who experiment with just a
5-minute warmup often find their main workout actually feels better and more efficient. Muscles
respond faster, and they can hit quality reps sooner instead of wasting the first 10 minutes
feeling stiff and sluggish.
The lifter chasing PRs. Warmups matter even more when you’re lifting heavy.
Many lifters notice that when they rush their warmup, their top sets feel off the weight feels
heavier, their groove is inconsistent, and small aches pop up. When they slow down, build from
light cardio to dynamic mobility, and then progress through warmup sets with gradually
increasing load, their performance and confidence both go up. A structured warmup becomes part
of the ritual of hitting personal records, not something separate from it.
The common thread in all these stories isn’t a specific magic exercise it’s the habit.
Choosing a short list of warmup exercises you actually like and repeating them consistently is
what makes the difference. Over time, your body starts to recognize the pattern: “Oh, we’re
doing leg swings and squats gym time.” That mental and physical cue can boost motivation and
help you show up more fully for your main workout.
If you’re not sure where to start, steal the simple routine above and run it for a few weeks.
Pay attention to how your joints feel, how quickly you can get into a “good groove,” and
whether your workouts feel smoother. Adjust from there. Think of your warmup as a flexible
toolkit, not a rigid checklist as long as you’re raising your temperature, moving your joints,
and prepping the muscles you’re about to use, you’re on the right track.
Final thoughts
Warming up doesn’t have to be fancy, and it definitely doesn’t have to be boring. With just
5–10 minutes of focused warmup exercises like marching in place, jumping jacks, leg swings,
lunges, arm circles, squats, and walkouts you can prime your body and mind for a safer, more
effective workout. Treat your warmup as the “trailer” to the main feature: short, engaging, and
designed to get you excited for what’s coming next.