List of Martial Arts Warm-Up Exercises

List of Martial Arts Warm-Up Exercises

Warm-up exercises

Warm-up exercises take a special place in the arsenal of every athlete, and should also be an integral part of the activities of any person involved in sports, regardless of their level of training.

Warm-up is the most important part of the workout , which allows not only to warm up and prepare the muscles for the training process, but also to protect against possible injuries and sprains, improve metabolism, prepare ligaments and joints for the upcoming stress, and also tune in to achieve the set goal.

Warm-up is especially important when practicing martial arts and martial arts.

Warm-up must be performed before each workout and can include light running and joint exercises, as well as dynamic stretching or work on a cardiovascular machine.

We bring to your attention the warm-up exercises developed by the undefeated world kickboxing champion, outstanding martial artist - Benny Urkides .

The warm-up exercises compiled by Benny Urkides are simple yet highly effective.

The exercise time is no more than 10 minutes, however, it allows you to fully prepare the body for the upcoming workout.

The complex consists of warm-up and stretching of the main muscle groups and is ideal for people engaged in martial arts and martial arts.

Benny Urkides Warm Up Exercises

Neck warm-up:

Initial position. Stand up straight. Feet shoulder width apart.
Tilt your head slowly to the sides. First, with your left ear, reach your left shoulder. The movements should be very slow and tense, so that you feel the pull from the right ear to the right shoulder.

Warm-up exercises

At the end point - fix the position for 5 seconds and take a deep breath.
Repeat on the other side.
Then slowly make circular movements with your head. First to the left, then to the right. When performing movements, it is necessary to feel the tension of the muscles on both sides of the neck.
Next, stretch your neck forward and then back. When performing movements, it is necessary to feel the tension of the muscles.
After completing the exercises, you need to shake yourself and relax.

Warm up the shoulders and chest:

Hands on the belt. Shoulders rotation. To perform this exercise, you need to lower your shoulders, and then try to bring them as much as possible, for this you should bring your shoulder blades and round your back, as if you are placing a heavy load on your back.

Warm-up exercises

Then - spread your shoulders and open your chest as much as possible. This exercise should be repeated several times.
Rotate your shoulders back.
Then alternately left, right shoulder.
The same rotational movements with the shoulders must be repeated forward.
Then rotate the right and left shoulder alternately.

Lateral muscle warm-up:

Place your left hand on your right thigh, and with your right hand draw a large arc to the side and achieve a strong stretch from shoulder to hip.

Warm-up exercises

Repeat on the other side.
Watch your breathing. When straightening, inhale while flexing - exhale. Make sure all lateral muscles are stretched as much as possible. Holds the position at the point of maximum muscle tension for at least 5 seconds.
- From this position, turn your face to the side, joining your arms, make circular movements, leaning strongly forward and bending back. Movements are performed in different directions. Make sure that the load on the lateral muscles is maximum.

Warm up the lumbar muscles:

Cross your hands down in front of you. It doesn't matter which hand is on top. Inhale and as you exhale, begin bending back. You must try to reach the highest and back point. All pressure must be transferred to the psoas.

Warm-up exercises

Inhale - exhale. Turn to the side and spring. Make sure the muscles are at maximum tension.
Inhale - exhale. Turn to the other side and spring. Make sure not to lose tension in the muscles.
Then start in a circular motion. Stretch forward, to the side, back, to the side.
Then repeat the same on the other side.

Warm up the groin and legs:

The exercises are performed from a squatting position.

Warm-up exercises

After taking this position, place your forearms on the inner surface of your knees and do spring squats, spreading your legs with your hands. When doing this exercise, you should feel a full stretch in the groin area.
Do some squats.
Then fix the position for 5 seconds.
Without changing position, shift your body weight to the left side to work on the thigh muscles.
With your right hand, you need to grab the left ankle, straighten the left leg, fixing the knee joint “in the lock”. Then straighten your left arm back up, trying to maximize your chest to the ceiling. When performing this exercise, the main thing is not to bend the knee.

Warm-up exercises

Then you should bend the leg again, grab the ankles with both hands. Straighten the leg and fix the knee joint in the lock, trying to reach the foot (toes) with the forehead.
Next, lower yourself to the starting position and move the body to the right side.
The left hand grasps the ankle of the right leg. The right arm straightens the knee of the right leg and extends up and back, helping the chest to swing up towards the ceiling. Fix this position and return to the starting position.

Warm-up exercises

Grab your ankle with both hands, straighten your leg and lock the knee joint “in lock”, then stretch your forehead towards your toes.
Return to starting position.
Imagine being in the center of a large dial and facing 12 o'clock.
Rotate your body for 3 hours.

Warm-up exercises

Both rivers rest on the floor, then the legs are straightened so that both feet are directed at 3 o'clock, the knee joints must be fixed “in the lock”. Both heels should be touching the floor. The head reaches for the toes. Thus, the calf muscles are stretched.
Drop down and start position. Straighten your legs as in the previous exercise, but the toe of your front leg should point upward to increase the stretch on the calf. Hands do not leave the floor.
Return to starting position.
Now turn from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock. And repeat the same exercise, but on the other side.
Each position in which you fix should be kept for at least 5 seconds.
Return to center position. Both hands are on the floor in front of you.

Warm-up exercises

Lift your lower back up.
Make alternate movements with your toes - heels, connecting your legs together (until the feet are together).
Alternately lift the heel of the left foot and the toe of the right foot, then the heel of the right foot and the toe of the left foot, to maximize the stretch of the calf muscles.

Warm-up exercises

Further, without changing position, stand on your toes, then, without changing position, stand on your heels.
Finally, sit down sharply.
Place your hands around your ankles. Both knees are "locked". Lower your head down.
Fix the full stretch. Bend your knees, bring your shoulders together, round your back and slowly straighten.

Warm-up exercises

Take a deep breath - exhale. And once again - inhale - exhale.

This completes the warm-up exercises and you can start the main workout.

In addition to stretching, martial arts students should perform warm-up exercises in order to loosen their muscles and increase their heart rate. These exercises should take place before starting the regular martial arts training session. Below are a large number of warm-up exercises with videos and instructions that you can use in your dojo or martial arts school.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Warming up may help prepare your body for aerobic activity. Warming up gradually revs up your cardiovascular system, increases blood flow to your muscles and raises your body temperature. Jumping into an aerobic workout without preparing your body could lead to such problems as muscle strain or injury."

Before any strength and conditioning training, martial artists should stretch and warm-up. All stretches and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. If you have had an injury or are in pain, please see a doctor before starting any stretching or exercise program. For additional stretches and exercises, please visit the main Martial Arts Physical Fitness section. You should also visit our section on Dynamic Stretches.

Warm-Up Routines by Martial Arts Style

Individual Martial Arts Warm-Up Exercises

Ankle Bounces
Arm Circles or Shoulder Rotations
Bear Crawls
Bicycle Kicks
Broad Jumps
Burpees
Butt Kicks
Chain Breakers or Cross Body Arm Swings
Flutter Kicks
Forward Hops or Frog Hops
High Knees
Hip Circles
Jog In Place
Jumping Jacks
Jumping Rope
Karaoke Drills or Grapevine Drills
Knee Rotation or Knee Circles
Lateral Jumps
Leg Swings
Lunge Jumps or Jumping Lunges
Mountain Climbers
Power Skips
Pushup Variations
Rotational Jumps
Run Backwards
Run Sideways
Squat Jumps
Squat Thrusts
Stretch Kick
Tuck Jumps
Torso Twists or Trunk Twists, Oblique Twists, etc.
Vertical Jumps
Walking Lunge
Windmills

Traditional martial arts training refers to training in martial arts, which is rooted in the principles set forth an original master of the art. Follow the wizard are chosen to carry on the traditional teachings of this particular art. Most traditional martial art rooted in the country's history.

Thus, the traditional preparation of martial arts means that the student to defend the philosophical principles of the art and practice of its techniques in a fashion similar to the founder, or in a natural progression in this style.

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