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A New Kind of Warm-Up

by Stephanie Nickel

Kudos to Kimberley and all the other winter sports-loving individuals! While I do love to take a walk after a snowfall, my camera in hand, mostly I’m snuggled under a blanket inside my warm, cozy house.

I am not a coffee or tea drinker year round, but I do love to warm up with a hot cup of herbal tea (or yes, hot chocolate), but an even healthier way to do so is to exercise.

While waiting for my kettle to boil today, I did a quick lower body workout. It gets the blood pumping, warms me up, and it has long-term fitness benefits.

Below are the exercises I did. (Remember to modify based on your level of ability and your doctor’s recommendations.)

Sumo Squats

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Turn your toes out slightly.
• Breathe in and sit back (don’t let your knees protrude over your toes); don’t come down past a 90 degree bend at the knee (not even this far if you have knee problems).
• Exhale and push up through the heels to a standing position.
• Repeat 12 times.

Lunges

• Breathe in and step forward with one leg and drop the back knee.
• Keep your feet parallel and make sure your front knee doesn’t protrude over your toes.
• Breathe out and push back to starting position.
• Alternate for a total of 12 lunges on each side.

Knee Lifts/Leg Extensions

• Exhale as you raise your knee and extend your leg out straight. (Rest one hand on the wall, a chair, or the counter if needed.)
• Alternate 12 times on each side.

Side Kicks

• Balance on one leg (knee slightly bent).
• Exhale and raise your other knee then extend the leg out to the side only as high as you’re comfortable.
• Repeat 12 times on each side.

For the following three exercises, I recommend resting both hands on a countertop or the back of a chair.

Leg Lifts to the Back

• Exhale and raise your knee and then extend the leg out behind you before inhaling and returning to the starting position.
• Repeat 12 times on each side.

Abductor Lifts

• Exhale and lift your leg out to the side.
• Keep your toes pointed forward.
• Repeat 12-24 times on each side.

Adductor Swings

• Balance on one leg.
• Exhale and swing your other leg close to and in front of the leg on which you’re balanced.
• Don’t swing it much past shoulder width when returning to the starting position.
• Keep your feet parallel.
• Repeat 12-24 time on each leg.

And yes, I still had a cup of cinnamon spice tea, but I didn’t need it as much to warm up.

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Warm up with 7 lower body exercises. (tweet this)

Read other posts by Stephanie

10 Exercises to Do on a Ball

6 Ways to Intensify your Workout

10 Exercises to Do at Your Desk

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Steph Beth Nickel is an author, a freelance editor and writer, a labour doula, and a former personal trainer. She’d love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter, on her website or blog.