What if the Warm-Up Was the Workout?

Redefining the concept of a workout

Working out really sucks sometimes.

Has this happened to you? You wake up after a rough night’s sleep, throw on your workout clothes because it’s Wednesday, and head to the car to hit the gym before work. Your hip aches from sitting in an office chair all day, and your mood is low after that bullshit email from your boss the night before.

The last thing you want to do is work out—just the thought of sweating and raising your heart rate feels overwhelming.

Finding the motivation to work out is a common challenge. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that exercise can sometimes feel punitive, especially when energy levels are low.

So, what do you do in this situation? Usually, you might consider skipping the workout, but you know your body needs movement. You’re just unsure where to start.

Let’s Redefine the Concept of a Workout

If you’re anything like me and have a competitive nature, you might have long believed that unless you were sweating profusely and feeling sore every day, you weren’t getting enough from your workouts. But what does "enough" even mean? Whether you’re training for a triathlon or simply trying to incorporate some movement into your week, there’s a way to make it effective.

What if we redefined what a workout means? Yes, I’m the same coach who previously wrote about building the perfect strength training program, but life happens. I stand by that we do need resistance training to strengthen our bodies and gain muscle. But that’s not what this Substack is about. Sometimes, getting in a little movement is exactly what your body needs for the day.

Enter the Warm-Up

So, what exactly is a warm-up? It’s a preparatory activity designed to increase blood flow, enhance flexibility, and prepare your body for more intense work. I’ve always told clients that the warm-up helps us feel better as we navigate the more challenging parts of a workout. It's important to modify warm-ups to suit individual needs; for example, if your hips or lower back feel tight from sitting all day, we want to include effective warm-up exercises targeting those areas.

Let’s Talk About Joint Mobility

Think of joint mobility as a fancy way of saying "being able to move well." More people are recognizing that our daily activities—driving, using computers, and even texting—can lead to stiffness and decreased mobility. When designing warm-up exercises, we should focus on enhancing joint mobility, especially in key areas like the thoracic spine (mid-back), hips, and ankles. Limited mobility in these areas can make everyday tasks like bending, rotating, and squatting more difficult.

Sample Warm-Up That Can Double as a Workout

Below is a sample warm-up that can also serve as a low-impact workout. It targets all major joints and includes some core activation. Keep in mind that some movements may feel more challenging than others based on your own mobility; that’s perfectly okay! Consider this warm-up as a way to embrace movement while listening to what your body needs.

Note: This routine is designed for easy transitions between exercises, making the most of your time. You can perform one set of each exercise or add more if you feel up to it. Don’t forget to focus on your breathing; inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth to encourage diaphragmatic breathing (more on this in a future Substack!). Lastly, I used universal language so if you google any of these terms for a video you’ll easily find one (I’m in the midst of transitioning all of my workout videos to a new YouTube channel so check back at a later date and there will be links to these exercises).

1. Pelvic Tucks (10 reps): Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and hands under your lower back. Exhale as you tuck your tailbone to press your lower back into your hands; inhale as you arch your back away from your hands.

2. Bridging (10 reps): Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and arms at your sides. Exhale as you lift your hips to form a straight line from head to knees; inhale as you lower back to the starting position.

3. Hollow Body Hold (15-30 sec): Lie on your back with legs in a tabletop position (90-degree angle at the hips and knees). Lift your head, shoulders, and arms toward the ceiling while keeping your gaze toward your ankles. Work toward straightening your legs and reaching your arms back to form a wide “V” shape.

4. Clams (10 reps each side): Lie on your side with knees bent toward your chest. Keeping your ankles connected, slowly open the top knee toward the ceiling without letting your top hip roll back; feel the work through your hips. Perform all reps on first side before switching.

5. Prone Extension (15-30 sec hold): Lie on your stomach with arms at your sides. Slowly lift your upper body while rolling your shoulders down and back, keeping your gaze at the floor. Hold for three seconds, then return to start (focus on keeping your glutes relaxed).

6. Plank Hold (15-60 sec): Prop yourself on your forearms so that your wrists are in line with your elbows and elbows are underneath your shoulders; roll the shoulders down and back, curl your toes under and lift up so that you have created a straight line from head to heels.

7. Cat Cow: 5 each direction: come on all fours (hands in line with shoulders, knees underneath hips); exhale as you round your spine like a scared cat, tucking your chin; inhale as you slowly drop your belly and lift your head (this is also known as flexion and extension of the spine).

8. Bird Dog: 10 each side: staying on all fours slowly begin to extend your right arm forward and your left leg back to create a straight line; slowly bring those limbs back towards the torso touching right wrist to left knee and then extend back out straight (it may feel a little wobbly so shorten your range of motion if needed); complete all reps on first 2 limbs before switching.

9. World’s Greatest Stretch: 2 each side: come to a lunge position with right foot forward and left foot back; place your left hand next to your right foot and rotate your torso to the right; curl your left toes under and straighten your left leg if available; hold for 3 counts; repeat on other side.

10. Single Leg Calf Raises: 10 each foot: come to a standing position holding onto a wall for support; place right foot on top of left foot and slowly lift up left heel as high as you can off the ground and slowly return to start; repeat all reps on first foot before moving to second foot

Wrapping Up

I hope this Substack will encourage you to to shift their mindset about exercise, taking the pressure off and making movement a joyful and fulfilling part of their day. Remember, sometimes we need to take the pressure off and give our body a different type of workout.

Feel free to share your experiences as you explore the concept of the warm-up as a workout.

Not sure where to start with your health? Let’s fix that. In a 30-minute Wellness Clarity Call, I’ll help you get clear on what actually works and create a personalized roadmap to move you forward. Book it today!