Part two: Inchworm warm up with rotation

Advanced dynamic warm-ups are great to do before any exercise routine, even walking or biking. They warm up the body while moving it dynamically, to increase blood flow, stretch muscles, and loosen joints all in an effort to get you ready to exercise while reducing risk of injury.

Last week, Tema and I introduced you to a dynamic warm-up exercise called, the “inchworm.” Today, we’re taking that exercise to another level, by adding in rotational twists from the plank position. All you need is a small space and about 10 minutes to begin feeling great and ready to workout. For some, this is a workout in itself!

Inchworm warm up with rotation

To get started, keep your feet flat on the ground at about shoulders-width apart. Bend forward and reach toward the ground while keeping your legs straight for as long as you can. You’ll feel a nice stretch in the back of your legs.

From here, walk your hands out to a plank position. Make sure your hands are under your shoulders in this position as you will rely on them for stability for the rotations.

You are now going to rotate to your right by raising your right arm straight up, watching the arm as it goes. Return to plank and rotate to your left by raising and pointing your left hand toward the ceiling, watching it the entire time. While rotating you will feel a nice stretch in your chest. Return the plank position.

Now keep your hands in place as you walk your feet up to your hands, keeping your legs as straight as possible. Then walk your hands back out to the front again, ending in a plank with hands under shoulders. Now rotate to the right again and then the left again, keeping the arms straight and watching them as you do so.

Repeat this sequence one more time moving forward, ending with the feet stepping up to the hands with feet remaining flat on the floor and legs locked as much as possible.

Now it’s time to do three inchworms with rotation while moving backward.

To do the backward inchworm, you will take two long steps back, first with your left leg and then with your right leg. This ends you in a plank position. From here you will rotate up your left arm and then your right arm, in the same manner as described above.

From here you will walk your bands back to your feet, piking your body at the waist. Now again take two lunges back with your legs to end in the plank position. Raise and rotate both arms, and repeat this sequence once more.

Here Tema has led us through one inchworm with rotation repetition, which included three forward and three backward sets. And one set should serve you well as a dynamic warm-up. If you don’t have time to exercise, you can do three repetitions of these three sets and the inchworm with rotation becomes the workout!

At the completion of the last set, slowly stand up, allowing your head to arrive last. You want to avoid dizziness or light-headedness, so slow is good.

Now take a big breath in, raise your arms overhead to help expand the lungs, and then exhale while lowering the arms to relax.