3 Dynamic Stretches to Try Before Your Workout

Before jumping into your workout, it’s important to give your body a proper warm-up. Unlike static stretching (where you hold one position), dynamic stretches keep you moving, which better prepares your muscles and joints for the activity ahead.

By spending just a few minutes on these simple moves, you can boost your performance, reduce your risk of injury, and feel more confident stepping into your workout.

1. Bodyweight Squats

Squats strengthen your legs, glutes, and core while also improving balance and flexibility. They’re the kind of move that makes everyday activities, like climbing stairs, lifting groceries, or keeping up with your kids, feel easier.

How to do a bodyweight squat:

1. Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.

2. Keep your chest lifted and your core engaged.

3. Bend your knees and push your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair.

4. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground—or as low as feels comfortable.

5. Press through your heels to stand back up, returning to the starting position.

2. Chest Openers

This exercise stretches tight chest muscles, improves shoulder mobility, boosts blood flow, and helps correct rounded posture caused by sitting or desk work.

How to do a chest opener:

1. Hold a resistance band with both hands, keeping your grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

2. Stand tall with your core engaged and shoulders relaxed.

3. With straight arms, slowly pull the band apart as you move your arms out to the sides and slightly back, opening up your chest.

4. Hold the stretch briefly, feeling your chest and shoulders open.

5. Return to the starting position with control.

3. Dynamic Lunges

By combining a forward lunge with a hamstring sweep, you engage your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and hips in one fluid movement.

Plus, by mimicking natural movement patterns like stepping, reaching, and hinging, dynamic lunges help your body feel ready and responsive for whatever your workout brings while reducing the risk of strains or injuries.

How to do a Dynamic Lunge:

1. Stand tall with your feet together.

2. Step your right foot forward into a lunge, lowering until both knees are bent about 90 degrees.

3. Push back up to standing, swinging your right leg behind your left.

4. Keeping your back flat, bend your back knee and hinge at your hips, “sweeping” your hands down toward your front foot.

5. Return to standing, then repeat on the left side.