The Best 5-Minute Warm-Up to Do Before Any Workout

Prepare your body for a safe and A-W-E-S-O-M-E workout!

This is the best 5-minute warm-up to do before any workout!

Warming up is such an important part of working out, yet so many people skip right over it. It’s often looked at as non-essential, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! You don’t have to spend a ton of time in the warm-up phase, either. In fact, just a few minutes can make all the difference in the world. Below you will find a total body, 5-minute warm-up that can be performed before any workout. 

Two Primary Reasons for Warming Up Properly

Warming up will reduce your risk of injury during exercise!

Why is warming up so important? First, performing a series of dynamic movements will warm up your muscles and joints, helping to reduce your risk of injury. Warming up will also elevate your heart rate and prepare your body to work out more efficiently. This will lead to better performance, which means you’ll get more out of your time and effort. 

The Best 5-Minute Warm-Up to Do Before Any Workout

Don't skip your warm up!

This simple, total body warm-up routine will take five minutes from start to finish. Watch each instructional video before you begin, so you can move immediately from one move to the next! 

Air Squats – 45 seconds

Body weight squats are great for warming up the muscles of your lower body and getting your blood pumping!

Arm Circles – 30 seconds

This move is a great way to warm up your shoulders and arms and get your upper body muscles ready to work.

Knee Hugs – 45 seconds

This dynamic move is wonderful for loosening up your hips and stretching out your lower back.

Side to Side Arm Swings – 30 seconds

Shake out any tightness from your chest and back by swinging your arms back and forth and side to side.

High Kicks – 45 seconds

This move will elevate your heart rate and improve mobility of your hips, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

Plank Walk Out – 30 seconds

Performing this dynamic movement will warm up your arms, shoulders, and core to prepare them for any workout!

Lateral Lunge + Reach – 45 seconds 

This is really a total body move. The lateral lunge places a focus on the legs, glutes, and lower back while the reach will warm up your upper body. Of course, because it’s a total body move, it will also boost your heart rate, too!

Jumping Jacks – 30 seconds

We’re all familiar with jumping jacks. This old-school warm-up is another total body move that will elevate your heart rate and finish getting you ready for your workout routine.

Now that you have this simple, 5-minute warm-up you can get to your actual workout. Do you need some workouts to choose from? If so, you’re in the perfect place! Try any of these popular routines:


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Erin Miller

Erin is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She is also a Performance Nutrition Coach, certified through the Clean Health Fitness Institute. Some of Erin’s favorite hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and hanging out at the beach, although weight lifting is her greatest passion. She says, “Weight training is one of the most empowering things a person can do. Not just seeing, but feeling yourself transform… There’s just nothing else like it.”

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