Before engaging in any kind of physical activity, it is important to warm up. This is especially true for leg day. Warming up before leg day helps to reduce the risk of injury, improve circulation and flexibility, and help to prepare your body for a more strenuous workout.
You’ll hear a lot about warming up before exercising, especially if you’re working with a personal trainer. Let’s take a look at why and how to warm up for leg day.
Do You Have to Warm Up For Leg Day?
It is important to warm up before leg day to help prepare your body for the physical activity ahead. Warming up helps to increase the mobility of the joints and increases blood flow, which helps to loosen and warm up the muscles that will be active during your workout.
This can help improve performance and decrease the chances of injury. Warming up helps to reduce muscle tension and improve coordination, allowing you to exercise more safely and effectively.
Warming up does not need to take a long time and can be tailored to your specific needs before each leg day workout – just make sure not to skip it. A few minutes of dynamic stretching or jogging in place can do wonders in preparing you for an effective leg day session.
Warm Up Exercises For Legs
Here are some simple yet effective warm up leg exercises to work into your routine. Some of these should be in your everyday workout routine as well.
High Knees
Stand in one place and lift each knee up to waist level as quickly as possible.
Squats
Bend the legs at the knees to a 90-degree angle, keeping the back straight and chest up.
Lunges
Start by standing up straight and then taking big steps forward with one leg, lowering the body until both knees form a 90-degree angle. Repeat with the other leg.
Calf Raises
Standing on one leg, raise up onto the toes of that foot until the calves are fully contracted.
Heel Walks
A dynamic warm-up exercise that involves stepping forward on toes, then shifting weight onto heels before stepping forward again with toes.
Best Warm Up for Leg Day
By performing dynamic stretches and light cardio exercises before leg day, you increase your blood flow while simultaneously stretching out the muscles you’ll be using.
Here’s a simple leg day warm up routine that you can do quickly before going into your more intense leg exercises.
- High knees – Start with 10 reps and increase by 5 reps each time for a total of 3 sets.
- Squats – Start with 20 reps and increase by 5 reps each time for a total of 3 sets.
- Lunges – Do 10 lunges per leg or 20 lunges in total and repeat twice.
- Calf raises – Stand on one foot, raise up onto your toes, then lower back down, then switch feet and repeat 15 times per leg or 30 times in total, two times through.
- Dynamic stretching – Spend 5-10 minutes stretching out your legs to get them ready for the workout ahead. Make sure to focus on all major muscle groups such as your hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves, etc.
