WARM-UP DRILLS FOR DRYLAND & POOL
Caterpillar
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the shoulder, upper back, core, hamstrings,
and lower legs.
Procedure:
1. Start in plank position with both hands and feet on the floor/ground
and have a flat back.
2. Slowly walk your feet forward until you feel a stretch in your
hamstrings or calves.
3. Immediately walk your hands forward back into the plank position.
Forward & Backward Arm Circles
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the shoulder, upper back, and chest.
Procedure:
1. Start by swinging your arms forward, slowly making small circles.
2. Gradually increase the speed of the motion and increase the size of the
circles.
3. Switch direction; start slowly with small circles and increase the speed
and size of the movement.
Torso Rotations
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the trunk and torso be using rotational
movements.
Procedure:
1. In a standing position, place your hands on your hips.
2. Bend to the left as far as you can and slowly rotate your body in a
clockwise direction, making a big circle with your upper body by
rotating to the front, then to the right, and then to the back.
3. Gradually increase the speed of the rotation.
4. Switch directions, starting slowly and gradually increasing speed.
Toe Raises
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the ankle and lower leg.
Procedure:
1. From a standing position, slowly raise yourself up onto your toes.
2. Hold this position for a 3-count and lower the heels back to the
ground.
3. Variation: As you increase in strength and balance, try this exercise
using one leg at a time.
Shoulder Internal & External Rotation
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the rotator cuff.
Procedure:
1. From a standing position, hold your arms out to your sides and bend
the elbows 90 degrees so the hand points to the sky/ceiling.
2. Rotate your upper arms forward so the hands are now pointing
downward, and then back to the starting position.
3. The range of motion depends on your flexibility.
4. Start slowly and gradually increase the speed of the movement.
Helicopter Lunge
Focus:
Targets the entire body (arms, torso, and legs) and requires
coordination, flexibility, and strength.
Procedure:
1. From a standing position, extend your arms out to your sides so they
are parallel to the ground.
2. Slowly rotate the hips and upper body from side to side so the arms
move like helicopter blades.
3. Gradually start to drop after several repetitions into a lunge with each
rotation.
4. Start slowly and with each repetition drop a little farther into the
lunge.
Side Lunge
Focus:
Warm-up and build flexibility in the adductor muscles of the inner
thigh.
Procedure:
1. In an athletic position (knees & hips bent slightly, facing forward,
and weight on the balls of your feet), step sideways with the right leg.
2. Feel a stretch briefly in the inner left thigh before stepping with the
left leg and returning to the athletic position.
3. Switch direction; step sideways with the left leg.
4. Feel a stretch briefly in the inner right thigh before stepping with the
right leg and returning to the athletic position.
Ankle Rotation
Focus:
Warm-up the muscles of the ankle and improve ankle mobility.
Procedure:
1. From a seated position, cross your right leg over your left leg and grab
the right foot with both hands.
2. Rotate the ankle through its full range of motion, both clockwise and
counter-clockwise.
3. Switch feet and repeat.
Knee Hug
Focus:
Warm-up and build dynamic flexibility in the hamstrings and lower
back; also challenges balance and core stability.
Procedure:
1. From a standing position, lift the right knee and pull in into the chest
with both hands.
2. Simultaneously raise yourself up on the toes of your left foot.
3. Hold this position for a 2-count before returning to the starting
position.
4. Pull the left knee to your chest while rising up on your right foot.
5. Hold this position for a 2-count before returning to the starting
position.
Leg Cradle
Focus:
Targets the muscles of the groin and hip, while also challenging
balance and core stability.
Procedure:
1. From a standing position, lift the right leg and grab the knee with the
right hand and the ankle with the left hand.
2. Pull the ankle and lower leg toward your chest while raising yourself
up on the toes of your left foot.
3. Hold this position for a 2-count before returning to the starting
position.
4. Lift the left leg and grab the knee with the left hand and the ankle with
the right hand.
5. Pull the ankle and lower leg toward your chest while raising yourself
up on the toes of your right foot.
6. Hold this position for a 2-count before returning to the starting
position.
Streamline Jump
Focus:
Develop explosive power in the legs.
Procedure:
1. Start by standing in a streamline position with your arms overhead
and squeezed tightly over the ears.
2. Bend the knees slightly and explode upward into a streamline vertical
jump.
3. Land with the knees slightly bent.