Hey, it’s Jennifer. Today I’m going to show you my favorite quick, one-and-done squat warm-up for when you’re short on time.
When you’re squatting, regardless of whether you’ve got dumbbells or a barbell or kettlebell, or just your bodyweight, you need your hips to bend and you need your ankles to bend as you go down into that squat. You also need your mid back to extend a little bit so that you keep whatever weight you’re holding, up rather than letting it tip you down. For the warm-up, I like to get into a deep squat, using my elbows to kind of push my knees out. If you’re trying this at home, you can really feel how that opens up your hips with that little pressure from the elbows. I then rock side to side, really getting that ankle bend. Try to keep your heels heavy as you go over the foot. That elbow pressure on your knees also helps you open up the back. Instead of rounding your back, push out on your knees and extend your back. That can help make the bottom of a squat feel a lot better with just, 30 seconds to a minute of doing this little warm up versus if you’re just jumping in cold. If you’re in a hurry, that’s my number one thing I would do before squatting. Enjoy!
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