From a young age, my track coach insisted that we did a thorough dynamic warm-up before starting any training session to activate the right muscles and avoid injury. I have my track coach to thank for teaching me this at a young age. Especially as I get older, my daily activation exercises are crucial in keeping injuries at bay and getting my body warmed up before the “warm up”. For me, the challenge is activating and using the right muscles when I am training, especially when I am tired. I have found that incorporating 5 activation exercises daily is a way to activate those muscles and sneak in my PT exercises so that my body is ready to go when I start training.
When I first started incorporating activation/PT exercises, I had a hard time doing them at the trailhead or parking lot because laying on the ground was difficult and I didn’t want to carry a lot of equipment with me. These 5 exercises are designed so that you can do them anywhere, anytime, with just one piece of equipment, an ankle band, and only take a few minutes! Give them a try and note how your body feels, especially during your warm-up and throughout your workout.
What you need: 1 ankle band, that’s it! I always keep a green one in my bag.
Where to do it: Anywhere! At home before you go exercise, or in the parking lot/trailhead.
Banded Skate Walks
Activating: glutes, core, balance
Place a band around your ankles. Slightly round your back and engage your core. Slowly skatewalk backwards, placing your right leg back. Bring your left foot in without placing it on the ground, and transfer your weight entirely onto your back right leg like you are about to do a single-leg squat. Engage your right glute and slowly skate the inside left leg back and out. Repeat for 6 steps back, and 6 steps forward.
Side plank star
Activating: core, glutes, obliques, shoulders
Place your right hand (or elbow on the ground if it is soft) and right foot on the ground and come into a side plank. Make sure your body is in a straight line and your back is slightly rounded, with your core engaged to start. Lift your left arm and leg up straight into the air, and bring your left leg slightly back, activating the left glute. Raise and lower your left leg 10x before switching sides. Remember to maintain a straight line with your upper body.
Bird Dogs
Activating: hamstring, glutes, core, obliques, back, lats
Place your hands and knees on the ground in a tabletop position. Slightly round your spine and engage your core. Lift yourself a few inches off the ground, maintaining the position. Start by kicking one leg back and bringing it back in, maintaining the stable and flat starting position. Kick out the other leg and return it. If you want to add an extra layer of difficulty, reach out one arm and then the other. Repeat this 5x, extending one limb at a time. Focus on pulling your arms and legs closer to one another to get your core firing.
Front Lunge and Twist
Activating: quads, hamstrings, glutes, core
Engage your core and then lunge forward with your left leg. Place your hands on the ground on either side of your left leg. Keep your chest tall. Keeping your left arm on the ground, reach your right hand up towards the sky, twisting your upper body. Place your right hand back down, and reaching your left hand to the sky. Return your left hand to the ground and press through your right leg to return from your lunge to the standing position. Repeat on the other side. Do a total of 4x per leg.
Plank Shoulder Tap + Kickbacks
Activating: everything 🙂
Start on the ground in a straight-armed plank position with a band around your ankles. Make sure you are in a straight position, engaging your core before you start the movements. Lift your right hand to tap your left shoulder and return it to the ground without twisting or rotating your back, keeping it steady. Now bring left hand to your right shoulder and return it to the ground. Kick your right leg up to the sky, keeping it straight and activating your posterior chain. Return the right leg back to the ground and do the same with the left. Alternating left and right arms and legs for 4 cycles.
