General Physical Preparedness and Mobility Exercises

Do you warm-up?  Really?  Do you really warm up?

Do you perform mobility exercises to help keep range of motion in your joints and prevent injury?

I hope you do but unfortunately I see many people skip their warm up and mobility exercises.

Please don't be one of those people.

I train with some of the strongest men and women in the state and even the country and guess what?  Not one of them skips their warm up.  Why?  A proper warm up and mobility exercises help decrease your chance of injury, prepare your body/mind for activity,  keep range of motion in your joints, and raises body temperature.  Plain and simple- a warm muscle moves better.

Tight hips?  Me too!
Click the picture for details on how to perform this mobility move.
Photo taken from the www.DesMoinesRegister.com

If you aren't sure where to start coming up with a warm-up game plan and/or how to perform mobility exercises check out my powerlifting friend, Caroline Week's article in the Des Moines Register today. She covers the importance of adding GPP (general physical preparedness) moves to your training and even provides you with a sample GPP workout (see blow)

Sample GPP circuits

Speed and Coordination: 

Skaters (30 seconds), slalom jumps (30 seconds), 100-meter high skips. 

Alternate for 4 rounds 

Strength: 

20 bodyweight squats with added jump, 20 bodyweight lunges, 15 push-ups or burpees 

5 rounds 

Endurance: 

Farmer’s Walks with 50-pound dumbbells, Prowler Push with 2 45-pound plates, Box Jump from seated position (10 times) 

Repeat as desired

Farmers walk is an example of one of the GPP moves Caroline recommends
but good luck getting your hair out of your face once you have those dumbbells in hand. :)
Photo taken from www.desmoinesregister.com

Caroline gives a detailed description for all the moves (click on "more" under the picture to the left), and there is even pictures and a video staring yours truly.  YIKES!  :)  

Caroline also writes a great blog- Beauty, Power, Grace where she shares great meal ideas (she's a dietetics student) and powerlifting workouts.   Check her out!

PS- There is still time to enter my giveaway for a GYMBOSS Interval Timer!  Contest ends 1/28.

Your turn:  Do you perform mobility moves?  If so, what's your favorite?