The Ultimate Guide to Warming Up Your Legs for CrossFit
Warming up is super important, especially in CrossFit, where the workouts are intense and challenging. If you’re new to CrossFit, you might think warm-ups are just a way to kill time, but they’re actually essential for getting the most out of your workout and staying injury-free. Today, we’re going to talk specifically about warming up your legs. Whether you’re doing squats, deadlifts, box jumps, or similar exercises, a good leg warm-up can make a huge difference.
Think about it: your legs are involved in almost every lower body movement in CrossFit. They help you lift, jump, run, and stabilize. If your legs aren’t ready for action, you’re risking injury and poor performance. So let’s dive into why warming up your legs is so important and how you can do it effectively.
This article focuses on Leg Warm-ups. If you are interested in Warm-ups in general, see out out Warm-Up Guide Here!
Leg Warm-Up Routine
Here’s how to get your legs ready for exercises like squats, lunges, and front squats.
Aerobic Warm-Up (2,5-5 minutes)
- Jogging, Rowing, Cycling on the Assault Bike or Bike Erg: Start with a minimum of 2,5 minutes of aerobic exercise to get your heart and lungs into working pace. You will also get your muscles going.
Mobility Warm-Up (5-10 minutes)
Air Squats – 10 repetitions
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, then return to the starting position.Dynamic Squats – 10 repetitions.
Get down into a deep squat position. Grab the toes with your hands and then perform squats with your legs while holding onto your feet.Squat Rotation – 10 repetitions.
Get down in to a deep squat position. Rotate your torso to one side, extending your arm in the direction of the rotation. Alternate sides.Cossack Squat – 10 repetitions.
Stand with your feet wide apart. Shift your weight to one leg and squat down on that leg while keeping the other leg straight. Alternate sides.Pigeon – 10 repetitions with each leg.
From a plank position, bring one knee forward and place it behind your wrist, with your ankle near the opposite wrist. Lower your hips towards the floor and extend the back leg straight behind you. Hold and switch sides.
Muscle Activation and Skills Training Warm-up (5-10 minutes)
Two rounds of barbell warm-up. Start with an empty bar and do 8 reps of all the barbell movements. Then add a little bit of weight for a second round of 8 reps per movement.
- Straight Leg Deadlifts – 8 + 8 repetitions.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of you. With a slight bend in your knees, hinge at your hips to lower the weights while keeping your back straight and your legs mostly straight. Return to the starting position. - Front Rack Lunges – 4/4 + 4/4 repetitions.
Hold a barbell in the front rack position, resting on your shoulders with your elbows up. Step forward into a lunge, lowering your back knee towards the ground, then push through your front foot to return to the starting position. Alternate legs doing four reps with each leg per round. - Back Squats- 8 + 8 repetitions.
Position a barbell across your upper back and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your back straight, then return to the starting position. - Front Squats – 8 + 8 repetitions.
With a barbell in the front rack position, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up and elbows high, then return to the starting position.
By this time your should be feeling warm and ready for the leg workout. Be sure however not to jump straight in to full power. Even though you are warm you should start with an easy weight and build up for a few sets before going full power.
What Equipment is needed
- Rower, Air Bike, Bike Erg or similar for Aerobic warm-up
- Resistance Bands for mobility warm-up
- Barbell and plates for the skills warm-up
Check out the Equipment subsite for more tools, tips, and inspiration.
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What Is a Warm-Up?
A warm-up is a set of exercises you do before your main workout. The goal is to get your heart rate up, increase blood flow to your muscles, improve joint movement, and get your body and mind ready for the workout. A good warm-up usually includes light cardio, stretching, muscle activation, and practicing the skills you’ll use in your workout.
Benefits of Warming Up for CrossFit
Mental Preparation
Warming up isn’t just for your body; it’s for your mind too. CrossFit workouts can be intense and complicated, which can feel overwhelming. A structured warm-up helps you shift your focus from your daily routine to the workout, making you more mentally prepared and confident.
Preventing Injuries
A proper warm-up is one of the best ways to prevent injuries. Cold muscles and stiff joints are more likely to get hurt. By gradually increasing your body temperature and blood flow, a warm-up prepares your muscles and joints for the workout. Stretching and mobility exercises help your joints move smoothly and reduce the risk of strains and sprains.
Performing at Your Best
A good warm-up gets your body ready to perform at its best. Increased blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients for your muscles, helping them work better. Warmed-up muscles are more flexible and responsive, making it easier to do complex movements and lift heavier weights. Muscle activation exercises ensure the right muscles are ready to work hard.
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How to Build a CrossFit Warm-Up
A good CrossFit warm-up should cover all the bases. Here’s how to put together a great warm-up routine:
Aerobic Warm-Up
Start with some light cardio to get your heart rate up and blood flowing. This could be jogging, rowing, cycling, or jumping rope. Aim for 5-10 minutes of steady, moderate-intensity activity.
Mobility Warm-Up
Mobility exercises improve your range of motion and flexibility. Dynamic stretches, which involve moving parts of your body through their full range of motion, are great. Examples include leg swings, arm circles, hip openers, and spine rotations. Pick movements that mimic the exercises you’ll be doing in your workout.
Muscle Activation
Muscle activation exercises wake up the key muscle groups you’ll be using. These exercises can use resistance bands, light weights, or just your body weight. For example, if you’re doing squats, lunges, or deadlifts, try glute bridges or banded side steps to activate your glutes and hips. For upper-body workouts, do scapular push-ups or band pull-aparts to engage your shoulders and back.
Skills Training Warm-Up
Include some skill-specific drills to refine your technique and prepare your nervous system. This is important for complex movements like Olympic lifts or gymnastics exercises. Practice lighter sets of the key exercises in your workout, focusing on perfect form. This could be practicing cleans and jerks with an empty barbell, doing kipping pull-ups, or rehearsing double-unders.
Why Not Start Cold?
Starting a workout without warming up can lead to poor performance and injuries. Cold muscles are less elastic and more likely to tear. Stiff joints limit your range of motion, making it hard to do exercises correctly. Your heart and lungs also need time to adjust to the workout. Jumping in cold can make you feel sluggish, increase your risk of injury, and lower your overall performance.
Benefits of a Proper Warm-Up:
- Better Muscle Performance: Warm muscles work more efficiently and produce more power.
- Improved Coordination: A good warm-up gets your nervous system ready, improving your coordination.
- Increased Mental Focus: Warming up helps you focus better on your workout.
- Reduced Injury Risk: Warm muscles and joints are less likely to get hurt.
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Conclusion:
Warming up is a must for any CrossFit workout. It gets your body and mind ready for intense exercise, helps you perform better, and reduces the risk of injury. A good warm-up includes light cardio, mobility exercises, muscle activation, and skill-specific drills. Don’t skip the warm-up—take the time to prepare properly, and you’ll see the benefits in your performance and overall fitness.
