Mobility For Athletes: When You Have No Time To Warm Up
I Don’t Have Time To Warm Up
It happens to all of us at one time or another, sometimes more than we would care to admit. Still, stepping on to the platform is hard enough on the body and with no warm up at all, you are more susceptible to injury. If you have ever taken a yoga class, you have more than likely completed a Sun Salutation although may not have remembered the name. This quick flowing series is easy to remember and can serve as a warm up for those days when you just don’t have time to complete your full warm up. Repeat as many times as you like to warm up the body and ready your breathing.
Here is the Breakdown...
(The video shows the flow twice with the second option in parenthesis shown in the breakdown)
Setup Instructions & Cues
Begin in Mountain Pose with equal weight on both feet, with your hands to heart center.
Upward Salute: Inhale, turn palms out and sweep your arms overhead.
Standing Forward Bend: Exhale, hinging from the hips, fold your body forward with your hands reaching towards the ground.
Half Standing Forward Bend: Inhale, raise your hands up your shins then raise your chest upward.
Plank: Exhale and step back to plank (or jump back to Chaturanga).
Cobra Pose: On the same exhale, lower down to the ground. On the inhale, flip your feet and press down through your hands. Draw your shoulders back, keeping your chest broad and open. (Option 2: Flip your feet to Upward Facing Dog hovering with only your hands and tops of your feet on the ground. Keep your shoulders back, chest broad and open).
Downward Facing Dog: Exhale, tuck your toes underneath you, using your core strength pull your hips up and back. Take a few breaths here.
Feet to Hands (Transition): On the exhale, bend your knees and jump or step your feet forward towards your hands at the front of the mat.
Upward Salute To Tadasana: Inhale and rise up fully with your arms extended straight overhead. Bring your hands back to heart center on the exhale and end in Mountain Pose.
Repeat as necessary until the body is warm.
Sandra Arechaederra has actively practiced yoga for years but maintains a focus on its application for improving athletic performance. Sandra is an accomplished Olympic weightlifter in her own right, having medaled at the 2010 USA National Championship Meet, she continues her work with the California Strength weightlifting team on a weekly basis for mobility training and runs a mobility program implemented with the California Strength NFL Combine Prep Class every year. Sandra has her 200 RYT credential as a certified Yoga Teacher.