Before we begin our sports activity our muscles, joints, and body temperature are not 100% ready to take on a challenge, so it’s very important to get them ready and prepare our body for the exercise routine.

Here are 4 exercises that are perfect to warm up before a workout. You can choose the ones that work best for you or perform them all in a circuit fashion.

Do you want to do it as a complete circuit? Perform each exercise from half a minute to one minute. Complete 4 to 5 sets, resting for 30 seconds between each one.

• JUMPS WITH FEET TOGETHER: Increase your heart rate by jumping with your feet together, do it forward / backward and from side to side.

• STRING JUMPS: It is not necessary to have a rope. You can pretend you have one in your hands, but if you have one, use it! Just remember to keep your back straight, do not lean forward when jumping, put your feet together and keep your buttocks, legs and core firm throughout the exercise. Place the arms at a 45º angle and do circular movement with your wrists as if you were using a jumping rope.

• YOGUI: Place your legs open to your hip’s width, raise the right knee to your chest or as high as you can, alternate arms, and pull your left elbow back while raising the knee. Change sides and repeat. Make sure your remains straight during exercise. The faster you do it the better the results.

• JUMPING JACKS: Place your feet together and hands to your sides, jump opening your legs at around your hip’s width while raising your arms stretched over your head. Return to the initial position and repeat.

This workout is perfect to squeeze in to tone every muscle in the body to boost your metabolism. Begin warming up by jogging for 15 minutes. You may add 20 minutes of cardio at the end if you have more time.

Single leg squat with a tricep extension

Tones the outer thighs, glutes, inner thighs and back of the arms!!

Cross one leg over the other while balancing keeping your abs engaged. Sit back 45 degrees, keeping your knee in line with your ankle. As you sit back, bend your elbows with your arms close to your ears. Extend up squeezing your tricep muscles and driving your weight into your heels. Repeat on one leg for 20-30 times repetitions.

 

Lunge to a lower ab & shoulder toner

Standing tall with your abs engaged, lunge back bending your legs at 90 degrees. Push all your weight into your front heel and stand back up, balancing and lifting one knee up, squeezing your lower abs. As you stand up, bring your arms up toning your shoulders. Repeat on one leg for 20-30 repetitions.

 

Triangle love handle

Tones the glutes, core and obliques.

In a triangle pose have your right foot forward and your left foot at 90 degrees. Make sure your hips are square and your glutes and abs are tight. Bending at the hips, touch down toward the top of your foot inhaling. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat on one leg for 20-30 repetitions.

 

Abs flutter

Tones the thighs, lower and upper abs and shoulders.

Begin laying on your back. Lift your shoulders blades and legs off of the ground, squeezing your abs. Alternate your legs, scissoring and fluttering your legs. Make sure you breathe throughout the entire exercise. Repeat 20-30 flutters.

 

Tuck and reach

Strengthens the lower back, postural muscles, and creates balance in your core and glutes.

Begin on all fours. Extending your right arm forward and your left lef back, stabilize and balancing with your lower back, shoulders and glutes. Crunch your right elbow into your left knee, squeezing your abs, then return to the starting position. Repeat on one leg for 20-30 repetitions.

 

Repeat entire circuit 3 times!!!

Short bursts of jumping can rev up your metabolism and tone you all over.

• Do the five exercises below for one minute each, in order.
• Rest for one minute – tops, take only as much time as you truly need to catch your breath and recover.
• Repeat from the start, do the full circuit five times total.
• You can use a rope to exercise more your arms.

Tucks

Jump with both feet together, bringing your knees up toward your chest.

 

One-Leggers

Hop on only your left foot for 30 seconds, then hop on your right foot for 30 seconds.

 

IN-AND-OUTS

Jump with your feet together, then jump them out. Go in-out, in-out, in-out!!

 

Scissors

Jump with feet staggered, right foot forward, then left foot forward. Keep switching with every hop!!

 

Slaloms

Hop side to side, as if there’s an imaginary line on the ground and you’re jumping over it each time.

You put in the time and effort, show up at the gym, and pride yourself in not taking shortcuts. So why is the scale not budging? Chances are, poor exercise form or bad workout habits are costing you precious calories. Fitness experts reveal the most common ways people cheat at their workouts without even realizing it, and offer ways to kick those saboteurs to the curb.

1. Each exercise involves two phases: a concentric (contracting) move and an eccentric (stretch) phase. Building momentum by swinging your arms when doing a move like a bicep curl or a tricep push-down sacrifices results by not controlling the eccentric phase, and also increases your risk of injury. Practice a two-second count on the concentric move and four to five count on the eccentric.

2. Grasping the sidebars when walking on the treadmill or hanging on tight to the handles of the elliptical trainer cheats you out of the largest possible calorie burn. In addition, if you’re using your arms to make it easier on your legs, you’ll tire faster, because your arms can’t work as hard as your legs. Instead, use the rails only as a guide, keeping your fingertips lightly on them. If you find it impossible to maintain proper form without clutching the bars, try lowering the incline or slowing down your pace.

3. Holding a stretch for only a few seconds does little to increase your flexibility and may also result in injury. The right way to stretch: hold still (no bouncing!) for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Another common cheat comes during a hamstring stretch. If you round your back so you can reach farther down your extended leg, you’re preventing your hamstrings from actually getting stretched. It also puts unnecessary strain on your back.

4. Few things are more frustrating than dealing with a crowded gym, especially when other exercisers occupy the machines and equipment you’d planned on using. But waiting around wastes valuable time. Don’t wait for the equipment to be available—instead, fill time with exercises you can do without a machine, such as crunches, planks, or push-ups. Or you could jump rope or do a set of high-knees. Anything’s better than waiting around: spending five or more minutes between sets negatively impacts the overall quality and effectiveness of your workout.

5. Stretching between exercises rather than waiting until the end of your workout seems like a good way to save time. But doing so could sacrifice your ability to perform your remaining exercises. Stretching between exercises, especially static stretching, may decrease the amount of weight you can lift. Leave stretches to the end as part of your cool down.

6. Simply showing up isn’t enough if you don’t put any real effort behind your moves. You can easily cheat your workout even during an intense cycling class. The same applies to other classes where you substitute an easy activity such as jogging in place instead of doing burpees because the latter is more difficult. Repeating a positive mantra to yourself may help you push through when you’d rather quit.  recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that cyclists who recited positive self-talk pedaled two minutes longer than those who did not. Tell yourself, ‘I am strong’ or ‘I can do this’ to get through tough spots.

7. Skipping out on the warm-up or cool-down means you’re missing a couple of crucial components of the class experience. The warm-up phase allows for your body temperature and heart rate to gradually increase, which helps reduce the risk of developing injuries while also preparing you for the main conditioning phase of the class. Meanwhile, abruptly stopping after an intense workout can produce pooling of blood in the lower extremities, which can sometimes lead to dizziness and even fainting, she says. Show up on time and stick it through to the end.

8. If you’re reading this article while you’re on the treadmill, you’re not working hard enough. If you can read, text, or otherwise give your attention to some other non-workout related issue, you’re cheating yourself. Put down the magazine and smartphone and focus on the task at hand. An exception: music. Listening to tunes while working out can reduce your perception of effort and increase endurance by 15%, according to several studies. So switch your book for a reproduction list for a more enjoyable, longer workout.

9. Most gyms have televisions so members can catch up on the news or watch movies while doing cardio, and some even feature them in weightlifting areas. But spending half your workout flipping through the channels distracts you from the reason you came to the gym in the first place, says Holland. Pick a channel and leave it there so you can spend the rest of your workout focusing on your fitness.

 

High-intensity workouts help you get your heart rate up and can burn more fat in less time, they’re also more fun!! Here are some moves you can do anywhere and with no equipment (all you need is a timer). Perform each exercise for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by a recovery period of 10 to 15 seconds or with an active recovery period (marching/jogging in place):

One round takes four-to-six minutes to complete and you can repeat the routine several times. Warm-up for a few minutes by jogging in place and stretch as needed. Make sure you’re hydrated before, during and after your session and always listen to your body.

1. In-N-Outs

Stand with feet together, knees soft, abs pulled in tight and hands tucked in front of chest. “Jack” legs open and closed, landing lightly on feet.

2. Alternating lunges

Stand with feet a few inches apart, chest lifted and hands on hip. Step forward with right leg into a lunge, keeping front knee over front ankle as left knee lowers toward the ground. Step back and switch legs. Continue alternating.

Bonus: Split Jumps: Begin with feet hip width apart, arms at your sides or hands on hips. Perform a small jump upwards while simultaneously moving your right leg forward and left leg backwards, landing in a lunge with right knee bent directly over your toes, left knee bent directly in line with your hip. Jump and at the same time reverse legs. Repeat.

3. 180 Hop-Squat

Stand with legs a little wider than hip width apart, knees soft and lower into a squat. Hop up and around 180 degrees and land in a soft squat. Hop back around into starting squat position, changing up direction from time to time.

4. Push-Ups

Get into plank position, hands on the ground directly under your shoulders, legs about hip-width apart. Bend your elbows and lower your entire body until it almost touches the ground (or as far down as you can). Return to start position.

Modified: Perform as above but on knees.

5. Skaters

Stand with weight on left leg, right foot slightly off the ground. Leap to the right as high as you can. Land on softly on right foot. Repeat to the left “skating” side to side.

6. Bicycle Abs

Lie on your back, hands behind your head and “bicycle” left elbow towards right knee. Bicycle right elbow towards left knee. Repeat cycle and try extending legs close to the ground as you twist torso.

7. Leg Drops

Lie on back with flat palms under your butt for stability, legs together in the air. Lower and lift legs with control. Bend knees slightly if needed.

8. Squats

Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder width, chest lifted. arms extended or at sides. Squat back keeping knees over toes. Keep abs and butt engaged as you lower and lift and don’t “snap” knees out as you rise back up.