Welcome to the Warm-Up Routine worksheet. This exercise is designed to help you understand the importance of warming up before engaging in weight lifting. Warming up helps to prepare your muscles and cardiovascular system for the more intense physical activity that follows. It can also help to prevent injury and improve performance.

Below, you will find a series of examples and problems that will guide you through designing your own warm-up routine, starting from simple exercises and progressing to more complex activities.

• Example 1: Perform 5 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking. This helps to increase your heart rate and gets your blood flowing to your muscles.
• Example 2: Do 10 arm circles in each direction. This will help to loosen up your shoulder muscles and joints.
• Example 3: Complete 15 bodyweight squats. This engages your leg muscles and prepares them for heavier lifting.
• Example 4: Perform 20 jumping jacks. This full-body exercise helps to further elevate your heart rate and warms up multiple muscle groups.
• Example 5: Engage in 30 seconds of high knees. This dynamic movement targets your lower body and core, increasing your range of motion.

Real World Problems:

• Problem 1: If you have 15 minutes for your warm-up routine, how would you structure it using the exercises above? Consider the duration of each exercise and the order in which you perform them.
• Problem 2: Imagine you are planning a warm-up routine for someone who is new to weight lifting. Which exercises would you include from the examples above and why? Justify your choices by explaining how each exercise prepares the body for weight lifting.

Answers:

• Example 1 Answer: 5 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking.
• Example 2 Answer: 10 arm circles in each direction.
• Example 3 Answer: 15 bodyweight squats.
• Example 4 Answer: 20 jumping jacks.
• Example 5 Answer: 30 seconds of high knees.
• Problem 1 Answer: Example structure for a 15-minute warm-up:
  - 5 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking
  - 2 minutes of arm circles (1 minute in each direction)
  - 3 minutes of bodyweight squats
  - 2 minutes of jumping jacks
  - 3 minutes of high knees (alternating with rest periods if necessary)
• Problem 2 Answer: For a beginner, I would include:
  - 5 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking to safely increase heart rate
  - 10 arm circles to loosen shoulder joints without strain
  - 15 bodyweight squats to engage leg muscles in a controlled manner
  - 20 jumping jacks to introduce a full-body movement and maintain cardiovascular activity.

1. Problem: Calculate the total time needed to complete a warm-up routine consisting of 5 minutes of light jogging, 3 minutes of dynamic stretching, and 2 minutes of bodyweight exercises.
   Answer: 10 minutes.


2. Problem: If a weight lifter spends 20 seconds on each of 10 different dynamic stretches, how long is their dynamic stretching portion of the warm-up?
   Answer: 200 seconds or 3 minutes and 20 seconds.


3. Problem: A warm-up routine includes 3 sets of 15 jumping jacks. If each set takes 30 seconds, calculate the total time spent on jumping jacks.
   Answer: 90 seconds or 1 minute and 30 seconds.


4. Problem: If a weight lifter performs 10 minutes of warm-up exercises before every session and they lift weights 4 times a week, how much total time do they spend warming up in a month (assuming 4 weeks)?
   Answer: 160 minutes.


5. Problem: A warm-up routine consists of 4 different exercises, each lasting 1.5 minutes. How long is the entire warm-up?
   Answer: 6 minutes.


6. Problem: If a weight lifter's heart rate increases by 20 beats per minute after 5 minutes of warm-up, what is their heart rate increase per minute?
   Answer: 4 beats per minute.


7. Problem: During a warm-up, a weight lifter performs 4 sets of high knees for 45 seconds each. How many minutes do they spend doing high knees?
   Answer: 3 minutes.


8. Problem: If a warm-up routine includes 10 push-ups, 15 squats, and 20 lunges, how many total exercises does the weight lifter perform?
   Answer: 45 exercises.


9. Problem: A weight lifter does a warm-up routine that includes performing each of the following for 1 minute: jogging, arm circles, and leg swings. How long is the total warm-up routine?
   Answer: 3 minutes.


10. Problem: If a weight lifter increases the duration of each warm-up exercise from 30 seconds to 45 seconds and does 5 exercises, how much longer is the warm-up routine compared to the original?
    Answer: 75 seconds or 1 minute and 15 seconds longer.

• Game 1: Weighted Relay Race

  Objective: To introduce students to the concept of carrying weights while moving, fostering teamwork and improving coordination.

  Materials Needed: Dumbbells or kettlebells of various weights, cones to mark relay zones.

  Instructions:

  1. Divide the students into two or more teams, ensuring each team has an equal number of participants.
  2. Set up a start and finish line approximately 20-30 feet apart. Place cones at each line to mark the relay zones.
  3. Each team member will carry a weight from the start line to the finish line and then back to the start line before passing it off to the next team member.
  4. The first team to have all members complete the relay wins.
  5. Encourage students to use proper lifting techniques when picking up and setting down the weights to avoid injuries.
• Game 2: Weight Plate Tic-Tac-Toe

  Objective: To combine mental strategy with physical activity, teaching students the importance of balance and control.

  Materials Needed: Weight plates (lightweight, such as 2.5 or 5 lbs), tape or chalk to create a Tic-Tac-Toe grid on the floor.

  Instructions:

  1. Create a large Tic-Tac-Toe grid on the floor using tape or chalk.
  2. Divide the students into two teams: Team X and Team O.
  3. Each team will take turns placing a weight plate on the grid to claim a spot, similar to the traditional Tic-Tac-Toe game.
  4. Team members must squat and then stand up holding their weight plate before placing it on the grid to ensure they engage their muscles.
  5. The first team to get three of their symbols in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins the game.
  6. Rotate teams and repeat to allow everyone a chance to play.
• Game 3: Medicine Ball Hot Potato

  Objective: To improve hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and engage core muscles through dynamic movement.

  Materials Needed: Medicine balls (lightweight), music player.

  Instructions:

  1. Have students form a circle.
  2. Give one student a medicine ball to start.
  3. Play music while the students pass the medicine ball around the circle as quickly as possible.
  4. When the music stops, the student holding the medicine ball must perform a designated exercise, such as 5 squats or 5 push-ups.
  5. After completing the exercise, the music starts again, and the game continues.
  6. Continue for several rounds, ensuring everyone gets a chance to hold the ball and perform the exercises.