March MATness!
The weather is finally warming up! March is about getting back to the MAT and warming the body up!
With the higher temps, everyone is starting to venture outside and get moving again outdoors; this blog is going to go over some warmups for outdoor activities, including basic core exercises that can be performed with just a mat!
A good warmup for running, biking, climbing and hiking include dynamic movements. A dynamic warmup gets the joints and muscles moving gently, increasing tissue and body temperature, and gets the heart rate up as well as increased blood flow. Prepping your tissues for the demands of intense cardiovascular activities and preventing injury.
Grab a mat, let’s start with the core!
1) Core Reverse March / Toe Taps: Lying on your back, legs in tabletop (shins parallel to ceiling), engage your core muscles by pulling your navel towards your spine and tap one foot down to the floor at a time. Repeat 2 sets of 10x on each side, alternating.
2) Bridges: Lying on your back with knees bent, feet on the mat. Lift your hips up into a bridge, keeping your navel to spine and lower front ribs gently knitted together. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 sets of 10x. Add marches to your 2nd set for a greater challenge.
3) Sideplank Clams: On your side, propped up on your forearm and elbow, pull navel to spine and stack shoulders and hips, head back in line with your spine. Perform a clamshell (lift your top knee, keeping feet down). Repeat 3 sets of 10. Repeat on other side. To make this harder, add a resistance band loop above your knees.
4) Bird Dog: On hands and knees, navel pulled toward spine, keeping your spine in neutral; extend one arm in front of you and the opposite leg behind you. Don’t let your back arch. Repeat alternating 2 sets of 10.
Now, onto the outdoors… here are a few dynamic warmup activities prior to your run, bike, hike or climb!
1) Knee Hugs: hug one knee to chest, alternating 1 set of 20 on each side.
2) Ankle Grabs: bending your knee with your foot behind you, grab your ankle, alternating 1 set of 20 on each side
3) Toe Sweeps: put one heel out in front of you on the floor and bend your standing leg, sweeping your hands past your toes of the leg in front of you , alternating 1 set of 20 on each side.
4) Inchworm w/Push-up: Standing tall, roll down to touch your toes, with straight legs walk your hands out to plank, perform one push up (or more!), keep your hands stable and walk with straight legs to your hands and stand up. Repeat 10x.
Remember, try not to rush through your warmup! Skipping or cutting your warmup short may sharply increase your chance of injury! Take your time and enjoy the warmer temps!
