Prep your body for its best workout yet with these multi-planar moves from master trainer Josh Stolz.
If you’ve been sitting at a desk all day (or lying in bed all night), the last thing you want to do is jump right into a challenging cardio or strength routine. “By easing your way into every workout and striving for more efficient movement in all of your joints before you begin, you’ll be able to perform at a higher level and reduce your risk of injury, no matter what you’re doing,” says New York City-based master trainer and Tier 4 coach Josh Stolz. This series of dynamic exercises preps your body to move in various planes of motion, helps correct any imbalances or tightness you might have, and safely increases both your mobility and stability pre-workout. “First you’ll focus on muscle activation, then mobility, then stability/proprioception and last, but not least, neural activation. Start off slowly, practicing good form, and gradually pick up the pace as you go along,” says Stolz.
Perform this warm-up as a circuit, moving from one exercise to the next without rest, right before your regular strength and/or cardio workouts.
Muscle activation: forward band walk
Stand with feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows bent by sides, with two mini-bands wrapped around your legs—one above the ankles and one above the knees. Push your hips back, hinging forward from the waist, keeping back tall, abs engaged and chest open, and then take a small step forward with left leg, landing on a flat foot (like you’re marching), as you swing right arm forward; left arm back. Repeat with right leg, swinging left arm forward and right arm back. Continue marching forward for 5 to 10 yards, and then reverse the motion to start.
Muscle activation: lateral band walk
Stand with feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows bent by sides, with two mini-bands wrapped around your legs—one above the ankles and one above the knees. Push your hips back, hinging forward from the waist, keeping back tall, abs engaged and chest open, and then take a small step to the right with right foot, pushing band out to side, landing on a flat foot, as you swing left arm forward; right arm back. Step left foot in so feet are hip-width apart again, keeping resistance in bands, swinging right arm forward and left arm back. Continue stepping to right for 5 to 10 yards; switch directions and repeat, taking small steps to the left, until you return to start.
Muscle activation: band plank walk with external rotation
Start in plank position (elbows under shoulders, legs extended behind you, abs engaged, back flat), with a mini-band looped around your wrists, palms up, thumbs pointed out to sides. Keeping back flat and maintaining a strong core, slowly push hands out to sides as far as you can; return to center. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Mobility: 3D foot/ankle stretch
Stand a few feet away from a box or step with right heel propped on top, toes flexed, right knee slightly bent, left toes facing forward and arms extended diagonally in front of you. Keeping spine long and lower body still, hinge forward from hips as far as you can, reaching hands toward right foot. Return to start, and lift arms into goal post position. Shift hips to right as you hinge upper body to left. Come back through center and shift hips to left as you hinge upper body to right. Return to start, and then rotate hips and torso to right, reaching right hand toward toes, keeping chest open and back tall. Rotate through center and to left, reaching left hand toward toes. Return to start. Repeat series 3 to 5 times; switch legs and repeat.
Mobility: 3D hip flexor stretch with arm driver
Stand a few feet away from a short box or step with right foot flat on top, right knee bent, left leg straight, toes facing forward, and arms extended diagonally in front of you. Slowly drive hips forward as far as you can, while lifting arms overhead, in the opposite direction. Return to standing position, with arms overhead, and then push hips to left as far as possible while moving arms to right. Press hips back through center and to the right, while moving arms to left. Come back through center, lower arms to goal post position, and then rotate hips, torso and arms to right as far as possible. Rotate back through center and to the left. Repeat series 3 to 5 times, being careful not to arch lower back or let left foot turn out to the side throughout; switch legs and repeat.
Mobility: 3D hamstring stretch
Stand a few feet away from a box or step with right heel propped on top, toes flexed, right knee slightly bent, left toes facing forward and arms extended diagonally in front of you. Keeping spine long and lower body still, hinge forward from hips as far as you can, reaching hands toward right foot. Return to start, and lift arms into goal post position. Shift hips to right as you hinge upper body to left. Come back through center and shift hips to left as you hinge upper body to right. Return to start, and then rotate hips and torso to right, reaching right hand toward toes, keeping chest open and back tall. Rotate through center and to left, reaching left hand toward toes. Return to start. Repeat series 3 to 5 times, keeping right leg fixed on box throughout; switch legs and repeat.
Mobility: 3D thoracic spine and shoulder stretch
Place right hand on corner of wall at shoulder level and walk forward until you feel a stretch in your pecs. Stand with feet staggered, shoulder-width apart, with left foot forward and right foot back, knees slightly bent, left arm extended by side. Slowly lift left arm overhead as you move hips forward, then lower arm as you move hips back. Turn head to look over right shoulder, and then reach left arm diagonally overhead, toward wall, rotating your torso, as you move hips to left. Lower arm as you move hips to right. Extend left arm out to side at shoulder level, and rotate torso to right, bringing left arm as close to right as possible. Rotate torso to left, opening chest and extending arm out to side. Repeat series 3 to 5 times; switch sides and repeat.
Stability: 3D balance reach
Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Lift left foot a few inches off floor, bend right knee and reach forward as far as you can with ankle, hinging from hips, and tap toes to floor; return to center. Reach ankle out to side as far as you can, tap toes to floor; return to center. Open hips up to left as you reach foot in an arch behind you, tap toes to floor; return to center. Repeat series 3 to 5 times, keeping your center of gravity on standing foot and spine stacked over pelvis throughout; switch legs and repeat. Gradually increase speed as you become more comfortable.
Mobility: saggital lunge with 3D arm drivers
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides. Lunge forward with right leg, bending right knee, keeping left leg straight, as you extend arms overhead and hinge back from hips, creating length in your hip flexors and thoracic spine. Return to start. Lunge forward with right leg again, this time extending arms overhead and reaching to right, pressing hips slightly to left; return to start. Then lunge forward with right leg, as you extend arms out to sides at shoulder level and rotate hips and torso to right; return to start. Repeat series 3 to 5 times, making sure movement is coming from your thoracic, rather than your lumbar, spine, throughout; switch sides and repeat.
Mobility: lateral walking push-up
Start in push-up position (abs engaged, back flat, legs extended behind you) with palms under shoulders and feet together. Take a step to right with right leg and move left hand in to meet right. Then step left leg in to meet right and walk right hand out to right. Perform a push-up, and repeat in opposition direction (step to left with left leg, moving right hand in to meet left, then step right leg in to meet left and walk left hand out to left; perform push-up). Continue alternating sides for 6 to 8 reps total, keeping hips down and spine aligned throughout.
Neural activation: two-inch runs
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows bent by sides, and hinge forward from hips, keeping back tall, chest open. Run in place, lifting flexed feet about two inches off floor and striking with your entire foot, as you slowly swing arms back and forth in a running motion. Start off at a moderate pace and gradually bump up your speed until you’re moving legs as fast as you can for about 5 seconds total, maintaining a consistently slow arm swing throughout. Rest for 10 seconds and repeat; do 5 reps total.
Neural activation: jops (jump hops)
Stand with feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows bent by sides. Jump up, landing on left foot (with right foot lifted a few inches off floor behind you), as you reach right arm across body, toward left foot. Immediately jump back up, landing on both feet. Then jump up again, this time landing on right foot (with left foot lifted behind you) and reaching left arm across body, toward right foot. Continue alternating sides, moving as fast as you can while maintaining balance, for 10 jops total.