Warm Up: The 12 Best Leg Stretches Before a Workout

A good workout starts with a thorough warm-up, or at least it should. Warming up prepares your muscles and joints for what you’re about to do, improving performance while possibly lowering your risk of injury.

We say possibly because you may still get injured even if you warm up (1). Sometimes, injuries happen no matter how well you prepare your body. Luck, it seems, plays a part.

That said, warming up doesn’t take long, and the time saved by not warming up could cost you months of lost training if you suffer an otherwise avoidable injury. Think of warming up like the safety belt in your car – you hope you don’t need it, but you will be glad you put it on if you’re involved in an accident.

Of course, there is a right way and a wrong way to warm up. Static or stationary stretches are generally not a good idea because they can lower your force production potential when held for extended periods (2). Instead, you should build your warm-up around dynamic or moving stretches.

In this article, we reveal the 12 best dynamic lower body stretches to do before a workout.

How to Warm-Up

Before we reveal the 12 best leg stretches to do before a workout, let’s take a moment to look at how they fit into a general warm-up.

Your warm-up should match the demands of the activity you are about to do. For example, a warm-up for jogging should be different from how you prepare your body for an intense leg workout. However, most warm-ups include the same stages, even if what you do or how long you spend on each stage differs.

The generally accepted stages of a warm-up are:

Pulse raiser

The pulse raiser is the part of a warm-up that makes you warm and involves several minutes of cardio. Ideally, you should start at a leisurely pace/level of intensity, and increase it over several minutes, e.g.:

1. Walk 2 minutes
2. Jog 3 minutes
3. Run 5 minutes

This progressive pulse raiser eases you into your workout, so you feel very comfortable throughout. It increases general tissue temperature and blood flow, ensuring your muscles are well-oxygenated. The pulse raiser also prepares your body for the next stage of your warm-up.

Mobility exercises

Now you are feeling a little warmer, it’s time to focus on your joints. A joint is where two or more bones come together to form a union, e.g., your hips, shoulders, and knees.

Mobility exercises improve your range of motion and reduce joint friction, wear, and tear by increasing the production of synovial fluid. This substance lubricates your joints and nourishes the articular surfaces at the ends of your bones, specifically the hyaline cartilage.

A few minutes of mobility exercises can help your joints feel more supple, making your workout more comfortable. Examples of joint mobility exercises include:

• Wrist rolls
• Shoulder rolls and shrugs
• Waist twists and side bends
• Shallow progressing to deeper squats
• Ankle rolls

Your warm-up should focus mainly on the joints you are about to use in your workout. So, if it’s leg day, spend most of your time working on your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back, and not your upper body.

Dynamic stretches

When it comes to stretching, most people think of static stretches, such as touching and then holding the toes to stretch the hamstrings. While there is nothing inherently wrong with static stretches, dynamic stretches are more appropriate for warming up.

As their name implies, dynamic stretches involve movement. So, instead of holding a stretched position for a set time, you move in and out of the stretch for reps. The benefits of static stretching include the following:

• Maintenance/increase of muscle temperature and blood flow.
• Maintenance/increase of heart and breathing rate.
• Increased motor unit activation for increased strength and power.
• Improved functional flexibility and range of motion.  
• Increased synovial fluid production for more mobile joints.
• Replicating the movements you are about to do in your workout.

In contrast, static stretches tend to have many of the opposite effects, which is why they are better suited to your cooldown.

As with your mobility exercises, your choice of dynamic stretches should match the demands of your workout. Focus your energies on the muscles you are about to train. For example, if you are preparing for a chest workout, there is no need to spend much time dynamically stretching your legs.

Ramping

Now you are warm and mobile, you may be tempted to jump straight into your workout. While such enthusiasm is admirable, you may want to build up gradually to your intended intensity level. This is called ramping.

For example, if you plan on running a fast 5k, you’ll probably find your performance is better if you build up to your maximum speed over a couple of minutes. This allows you to practice your running technique and iron out any faults. Starting slower will also probably mean you finish faster.

In strength training, ramping usually involves doing a few progressively heavier sets of your main exercises to prepare your muscles for whatever challenges await them. For example:

• 10 reps x 20kg/45 pounds
• 7 reps x 40kg/90 pounds
• 5 reps x 60kg/135 pounds
• 2 reps x 80kg/175 pounds
• 10 reps 100kg/222 pounds – first work set

The heavier your training weights, the longer your ramp needs to be. However, each one should be a submaximal effort and feel relatively easy. Note how the rep count in the example decreases as the weight increases. This ensures you acclimate your muscles to the load while avoiding unnecessary fatigue.

Read more about warming up for strength training here.

Warming up takes time, but it’s time well spent. A thorough warm-up can be the difference between a good workout and a great one!

How long should a warm-up last?

Warming up is a gradual process that takes you from sedentary to ready to train. While these is no one-size-fits-all duration for warm-ups, the time you need to get ready will depend on several factors, including:

• The intensity of your coming workout – the harder you plan on training, the longer you’ll need to warm up. Easier workouts usually need shorter warm-ups.
• Recent activity levels – you’ll probably need to warm up longer if you’ve been physically inactive.
• Your age – older exercisers often benefit from longer warm-ups, whereas younger exercises usually feel ready to train sooner.
• Ambient temperature – you’ll warm up faster if your training environment is also warm.
• Previous injuries – previously injured joints and muscles often feel better after a thorough warm-up.

So, warming up should take as long as necessary. This might be as little as five minutes for an easy workout or 20-30 minutes for something more intense. Adjust the length of your warm-up according to your training needs and goals.

The 12 Best Leg Stretches Before a Workout

Now you know the components of an effective warm-up, here is a list of 12 of the best dynamic leg stretches to do before your next leg workout.

You don’t need to do all of these exercises. Instead, pick the ones most relevant to your workout. 2-4 should be sufficient for most people. Keep your movements smooth and controlled, gently increasing your range of motion as you feel your muscles begin to lengthen.

Related: Upper Body Warm-Up You Should Be Doing Before Every Workout

1. Forward and back leg swings

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip flexors.

Hours spent sitting at your desk or in your car can leave you with tight hips and hamstrings. This simple exercise will warm up these muscles and prepare your legs for more demanding activities. This is an excellent preparatory exercise for all lower-body workouts, both strength and cardio.

Steps:

1. Stand sideways onto a wall or handrail and hold it for balance. Bend your knees slightly for balance. Brace your core and look straight ahead.
2. Starting with your outermost leg, swing it forward and back from your hip. Keep your hips and shoulders stationary – no twisting.
3. Continue for 10-20 reps, gradually increasing height as your muscles relax.
4. On completion, turn around and swap legs. Repeat on the other side for the same number of reps.

2. Lateral leg swings

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip flexors, abductors, adductors.

Many exercisers are stuck in the sagittal plane, meaning their workouts involve mostly forward and backward movements. However, in sports and life outside the gym, activities often occur in the transverse and frontal planes, meaning rotational and sideways. This exercise is similar to #1 but takes you out of that overused sagittal plane. This is an excellent warm-up for athletes and anyone who practices functional strength training, where transverse and frontal plane movements are common.

Steps:

1. Stand facing a wall or handrail. Place your hands on it for balance and support.
2. Raise one leg out to the side and then swing it in front of you so it crosses your other leg. Allow your hips to rotate as you swing your leg.
3. Swing your leg back out and repeat.
4. Continue for 10-20 reps, increasing your range of motion as you feel your muscles relax.
5. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Dynamic calf stretch (quadruped calf pumps)  

Muscles targeted: Gastrocnemius, soleus, hamstrings.

While you may feel this exercise in your hamstrings if they are tight, it’s actually one of the best ways to prepare your calves for an intense workout. They’re not only ideal before calf raises but also an excellent exercise if your workout involves running or jumping. Calf strains can take a long time to heal, and this exercise could help prevent one.

Steps:

1. Adopt the push-up position with your hands and feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Brace your core. Lift your hips so your body resembles an inverted V.
2. Keeping your arms straight, alternately lower your heels toward the ground and then push up onto the balls of your feet.
3. Continue for 10-20 reps per calf, increasing your range of motion as you feel your muscles relax.
4. You can also do this exercise with your hands against a wall. This puts less stress on your arms and shoulders, although the range of motion at your ankles will be shorter.

4. Squat-to-stand

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, adductors.

The squat-to-stand stretch, also known as bootstrappers, is a great way to get your entire lower body ready for a leg workout. However, it is quite challenging, so you should put it toward the end of your warm-up so your body is ready for it. This exercise could help you squat deeper and jump higher.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
2. Hinge forward from your hips and reach down to grab your toes.
3. Bend your knees and descend into a deep squat. Use your elbows to pry your knees apart and open your hips. Lift your chest and pull your butt down toward your ankles.
4. Keeping hold of your toes, lift your hips and push your butt up toward the ceiling.
5. Smoothly alternate between these two positions 5-10 times, increasing your range of motion as your muscles start to loosen up.
6. Pause at the top and bottom of each rep for a few seconds to maximize the benefits of this exercise.

5. Foot grab

Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip rotators.

Your hips can perform a wide range of movements. However, when it comes to stretching them, most people ignore hip rotation. Let’s fix that with this simple yet effective dynamic hip stretch. Whatever leg workout you are doing, your hips will feel better after this exercise.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
2. Bend one leg and push your knee out as you raise your foot toward your groin.
3. Grab your foot and shin, gently pulling it up and in.
4. Release your foot, switch sides, and repeat.
5. Alternate legs for 12-20 reps per side.
6. Do this exercise on the spot or while walking forward as preferred.

6. Dynamic side lunge

Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, abductors, adductors.

Like exercise #4, the squat-to-stand, this exercise works a lot of different lower body to deliver a time-efficient warm-up. It’s an excellent way to prepare your legs for squats and lunges and is especially useful for athletes involved in lateral movement sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, and hockey.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
2. Take a large step out to your left, bend your left knee, and lower your hips back and down toward the floor.
3. Push off your left leg and bring your feet back together.
4. Repeat on the opposite side.
5. Alternate legs for 10-20 reps per side.

7. Heels to buttocks

Muscles targeted: Quadriceps.

Whatever leg workout you are doing, the quadriceps are probably involved. This group of four powerful muscles is often tight and will definitely benefit from some extra care and attention. This exercise is one of a few that dynamically stretches the quads in relative isolation. It’s also a good hamstring activation drill.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
2. Bend one leg and bring your foot up toward your butt. Grab your foot with one or both hands and gently pull it closer in.
3. Release your foot and repeat with the other leg.
4. You can do this exercise on the spot or while walking forward as preferred.
5. Alternate legs for 10-20 reps per side.

8. Walking knee grab

Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings.

The glutes are the largest and one of the strongest muscles in the human body. It’s incredibly hard-working and involved in most lower body movements, both as a prime mover and stabilizer. This exercise takes your hips into a flexed position, providing your glutes with a brief but welcome stretch.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
2. Bend your leg and lift your knee toward your chest.
3. Grab your shin and gently pull your leg in and up to get a deeper stretch.
4. Release your leg, switch, and repeat 10-20 times per leg.
5. You can do this exercise on the spot or while walking as preferred.
6. Rise up onto tiptoe on your supporting leg to warm-up your calves and make this exercise even more dynamic.

9. Walking toe swipe

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, gastrocnemius, gluteus maximus.

The walking toe swipe is an excellent exercise for anyone preparing for a locomotive workout, i.e., one that features walking or running. Not only is it an effective dynamic stretch, but it will also help fire up the muscles in your supporting leg.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Take a step forward and, with your knee straight, pull your toes upward.
3. Hinge down from your hips and bring your arms forward to brush your foot.
4. Step forward, stand up, and switch legs.
5. Continue alternating legs for 10-20 reps per side.

10. Spider-Man lunges

Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, hip adductors, calves.

Of all the Marvel superheroes, Spider-Man is arguably the most athletic and agile. His ability to swing from webs and climb walls mean he’s got more in common with an Olympic gymnast than an eight-legged creepy-crawly! While this exercise won’t turn you into a superhero, it will help you develop marvelous hip mobility!

Steps:

1. Adopt the push-up position with your arms and legs straight. Brace your core.
2. Bend one leg and place your foot on the floor just outside your hand.
3. Ease your hips toward the floor to get a deeper stretch.
4. Return your leg to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
5. Alternate legs for 10-20 reps per side.

11. Dynamic 90/90 stretch

Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, abductors, adductors, hip rotators

Tight hips can hurt your workout and athletic performance in many ways. As well as reducing your range of motion, e.g., squat depth or stride length, tight hips are more prone to acute injury and chronic wear and tear. This exercise is a great way to stretch and mobilize your hips.

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs bent to 90 degrees and feet flat. Your torso should be upright and in good posture.
2. Roll your knees to the side and lower them to the floor. Turn your upper body toward your leading leg and lean forward slightly to deepen the stretch.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side.
4. Alternate legs for 6-10 reps per side.
5. Place your hands on the floor and use them for assistance if required.

12. Scorpion stretch

Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, quadriceps, rectus abdominis.

The scorpion stretch is one of those exercises that looks incredibly tricky but is actually relatively easy. However, it still provides an excellent dynamic stretch for the front of your hips and thighs while mobilizing your spine. That said, if you have a history of back pain, you may want to take it easy with this stretch or skip it entirely.

Steps:

1. Lie on your front with your arms stretched out to your sides to form a T-shape.
2. Bend one leg and cross it behind you toward your opposite hand. Keep your shoulders down, but lift and rotate your hips as much as necessary.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.
4. Alternate legs for 5-10 reps per side.

Leg Stretches Before a Workout – FAQs

1. Why is warming up essential before a workout?

Warming up prepares your muscles and joints for the workout to follow, enhancing your performance while lowering the risk of injury. While injuries can still occur, a good warm-up can reduce the risk, making it a vital part of any exercise routine.

2. What is the difference between dynamic and ballistic stretches?

Both dynamic and ballistic stretches involve movement so they’re easy to confuse. However, where dynamic stretches are done smoothly and with control, ballistic stretches are done much faster.

Ballistic stretches are common in sports where movements are performed explosively, such as soccer and martial arts. However, for most exercisers, the risks of ballistic stretching outweigh their benefits.

You can read more about the pros and cons of ballistic stretching here.

3. How should I structure my warm-up routine?

An effective warm-up should consist of several stages: a pulse raiser involving cardio to increase tissue temperature and blood flow, mobility exercises to improve joint range of motion, dynamic stretches replicating workout movements, and ramped sets to gradually prepare your muscles for your main training session.

Work your way through all four stages spending as much time as necessary in each one. Adapt your warm-up to match the demands of your workout, tailoring each stage to your unique requirements.

4. How long should my warm-up last?

The ideal warm-up duration depends on various factors, including the intensity of your workout, recent activity levels, age, training venue temperature, and injury history. Most warm-ups last between five and 20 to 30 minutes.

Adjust the duration based on your training needs and goals. Warm up until you feel ready to train and avoid doing more than necessary, as your time and energy will probably be better used in your workout.

5. Are dynamic stretches good for improving flexibility?

Yes indeed! Contrary to popular opinion, dynamic stretches can help improve your flexibility (3). This is especially true when they are performed before a workout e.g., for a deeper squat. That said, while dynamic stretching is effective for improving flexibility, static stretching still has a place in a well-rounded flexibility program.

Combining dynamic and static stretching with other mobility exercises like foam rolling can lead to greater flexibility increases in less time.

Wrapping Up

An old rugby coach once told me that if you don’t have time to warm up, you don’t have time to work out. Not warming up can hurt your training performance, making your workout less effective, and could even lead to injuries. Skipping your warm-up might save you a few minutes but could cost you months in less productive workouts and injuries.

As warming up will add time to your training session, it makes sense to use the best tools for the job. Regarding stretching, that means dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches offer many advantages over static stretches, including greater time efficiency and specificity.

Build your lower body warm-ups around the 12 exercises described above. Two to four stretches should be all you need to get ready for your next workout. Pick the exercises that best replicate the movements in your program.

References:

1. Fradkin AJ, Gabbe BJ, Cameron PA. Does warming up prevent injury in sports? The evidence from randomized controlled trials? J Sci Med Sport. 2006 Jun;9(3):214-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2006.03.026. Epub 2006 May 6. PMID: 16679062.
2. Nelson AG, Kokkonen J, Arnall DA. Acute muscle stretching inhibits muscle strength endurance performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 May;19(2):338-43. doi: 10.1519/R-15894.1. PMID: 15903372.
3. Egan AD, Cramer JT, Massey LL, Marek SM. Acute effects of static stretching on peak torque and mean power output in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women’s basketball players. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 Nov;20(4):778-82. doi: 10.1519/R-18575.1. PMID: 17194244.

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