Are you looking for ways to get your heart rate up and start your workout off on the right foot? Look no further! The American Sports and Fitness Association has created 10 tips to help you get your cardio warmup exercise on and get your heart pumping. Whether you're an experienced athlete or a beginner, these tips from the American Sports and Fitness Association will help you get the most out of your workout. Read on to find out the 10 tips for getting your cardio warmup on!
1) Walking lunges
Walking lunges are a great way to get your heart rate up and start warming up your body before you jump into your cardio workout. To do this exercise, start in a standing position with your feet together. Step one leg forward and lower your body down into a lunge position, bending both knees until they are at 90 degree angles. Keep your chest lifted and eyes straight ahead as you press off of the front foot to return to the starting position. Be sure to switch legs after each repetition. This is an effective way to warm up your muscles and get your blood pumping!
2) Butt kicks
Butt kicks are a great way to get your heart rate up quickly and help you warm up for your cardio workout. To do a butt kick, start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Lift your right leg behind you and try to kick your right heel to your butt. Then bring it back down to the ground and repeat the same motion with your left leg. Keep alternating legs and keep your upper body steady while doing this exercise. Make sure you keep your core engaged and your knees bent as you kick your heels up towards your glutes. This exercise is also great for improving your balance and coordination.
3) High knees
High knees is a great way to warm up your muscles and get your heart rate going. The goal of this exercise is to drive your knee up as high as possible while keeping your hips and shoulders square. To start, stand in an athletic stance with your feet hip-width apart and your arms bent at 90 degrees. As you move, lift one knee up towards your chest while bringing your opposite arm forward. Repeat on the other side and continue alternating sides for 30 seconds or more. This is a great exercise to incorporate into any cardio warmup routine as it will help to increase your heart rate and activate the muscles in your legs and core. Be sure to keep your back straight, chest up, and abdominals engaged throughout the exercise.
4) Squats
Squats are an excellent way to warm up your body for cardio. They target the muscles of your legs and core, helping you stay strong and balanced throughout your workout. To perform a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Begin by bending your knees and lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your back straight, chest up, and abs tight throughout the entire exercise. When you reach the bottom of the squat, pause for a moment and then drive through your heels to stand back up. Aim for 8-12 repetitions and make sure to keep proper form throughout. Squats can also be combined with other exercises such as jump squats or alternating lunges to add more of a challenge.
5) Jumping jacks
Jumping jacks are a great way to get your heart rate up and warm your body up for a cardio workout. To perform jumping jacks, start with your feet together and arms at your sides. As you jump, spread your legs out to shoulder width and reach your arms over head. Jump back to the starting position and repeat. You can vary the speed of your jumps depending on how intense you want your warmup to be. Keep in mind that jumping jacks should be done at a moderate pace rather than an all-out sprint. This exercise is a great way to engage your entire body and get ready for an energized workout.
6) Burpees
Burpees are a great way to get your heart rate up and warm up your muscles before a workout. They are a full body exercise that combine a push up, squat, and jump in one fluid motion. To do a burpee, begin in a standing position. Then, bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position, with your hands on the floor. From here, jump back into a push up position, then press your feet back towards your hands, and jump back into the squat position. Finally, jump up into the air, reaching your arms above your head. This completes one repetition. Burpees can be done at any speed and can be modified to meet your fitness level. Start by doing 5-10 repetitions of burpees as part of your warm up. As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can increase the number of reps or add variations like jumping jacks or mountain climbers.
7) Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are a great way to get your heart rate up quickly, as well as working your core and legs at the same time. To do mountain climbers, start in a plank position with your arms straight and hands underneath your shoulders. Then, draw one knee towards your chest and bring it back to the starting position. Repeat this motion with the other leg, bringing the knee towards your chest and then returning it to the starting position. Make sure to keep your core engaged and your hips in line with your shoulders for the duration of the exercise. You can make this exercise more challenging by increasing the speed of your movements, as well as maintaining proper form throughout. Keep repeating this exercise for 10-15 seconds and make sure to rest for a few seconds in between sets.
8) Skaters
Skaters are a great way to get your heart rate up in a short amount of time. To do this exercise, begin with one foot on the ground and the other extended behind you. Reach out with both arms, and keeping your core tight, “skate” across the floor by quickly alternating feet while bringing your arms forward and backward as if you were ice skating. Focus on engaging your abs and keeping your balance. Do as many skaters as you can in 10 minutes.
9) Side shuffles
Side shuffles are an effective way to warm up your cardiovascular system and get your body ready for more intense activity. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a big step sideways with one foot, then bring the other foot to meet it. Repeat this process, taking large sideways steps while keeping your feet together. You can do side shuffles in place or move across the room. This exercise helps you improve agility and coordination, as well as getting your heart rate up for an effective warmup.
10) Jumping rope
Jumping rope is a great way to get your heart rate up and warm up your body in just a few minutes. It can be done virtually anywhere, and you don’t need any special equipment. The American Sports and Fitness Association recommends trying a few basic jump rope exercises. First, start by jumping at a slow pace, focusing on keeping your chest up and maintaining an even rhythm as you turn the rope. Once you get comfortable with this, you can move on to some more advanced exercises. Try alternating between one-foot jumps, double-unders, side swings, and crisscrosses. If you want to make it even more challenging, try adding some jumping jacks or other moves into the mix.
