There was a time in my younger days when I would jump right into a basketball pickup game or any other physical activity, without warming up or stretching, and I rarely had any problems (to be young again)! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned it’s absolutely critical to stretch and warm up a bit to help prevent injuries.

A man in athletic clothing stretching on a red running track outdoors.

This shouldn’t take much time. Let's go through some of the go-to strategies that have helped me over the years. It really depends on what I’m doing that day. If I’m doing push-ups, sit-ups, and riding my bike, I’ll spend a few minutes stretching my chest, core, and legs.

A young woman is exercising outdoors in a park, performing a knee lift stretching exercise on a grassy area with trees in the background.

chest

I’ll extend my arms straight out, parallel to the floor, and slowly move them back and forth. I build up a little more speed as I go, but nothing crazy. I do that for about a minute.

An elderly man and a young man practicing yoga together indoors, with the elderly man in front and the young man behind him, both extending their arms outward.

core

I stand with my feet about shoulder-width apart and keep my arms relaxed and slightly raised. Then I slowly turn my upper body from side to side, twisting gently from the waist. This movement is sometimes called a torso twist. I usually do this for about 30 seconds.

A woman with long hair practicing yoga on the beach, standing on sand with her arms extended outward, wearing a black sports bra and blue leggings, with ocean water behind her and clear sky above.

QUADRICEPS

Stand up and bend one knee back toward your glutes. Reach back and hold your ankle, keeping the stretch for about 30 seconds. Then switch legs and repeat with the other leg

Young woman stretching outdoors on a red metal bridge, wearing a black hoodie, gray leggings, and white sneakers, with houses and a cloudy sky in the background.

After that, I’ll crouch like a baseball catcher. For the first few seconds, I may use a couch, chair, or step for support to ease into the stretch. Then I’ll go full weight into the position without any help. I usually spend about a minute on the quads.

Calves

Stand facing a wall and place both hands against it. Put one foot forward with the knee slightly bent and the other foot behind you with the leg straight and the heel flat on the floor. Hold for about 30 seconds and then switch to the other side.

Two people, a man and a woman, doing yoga in front of a gray concrete wall, with the woman in a downward dog pose and the man in a bent-over position, both wearing workout clothes.

HAMSTRINGS

In my opinion, the hamstrings need the most attention. Maybe it’s because I’ve dealt with back issues over the years and have learned how closely the hamstrings and lower back are connected. In fact, I stretch my hamstrings a few times a day, no matter what I’m doing

A woman practicing yoga outdoors on a red surface, wearing black leggings, a white sports bra, and white sneakers, with a red metal fence and trees in the background.

There are a few ways I like to stretch them. One way is to stand with your feet together or slightly apart, keep your knees straight, and slowly bend forward from the waist until you feel a slight pull in the back of your legs. Hold that for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Two people stretching on a park bench on a city street during daytime, trees and buildings in the background.

Another option is to put one foot on a chair, step, or other stable surface and slowly bend down until you feel the stretch. Hold it for about 30 seconds, then switch legs.

An elderly man with gray hair and a beard doing yoga in a room with natural light, on a blue yoga mat, with large windows and potted plants in the background.

Finally, I like to spread my feet out wide and slowly reach my hands towards the floor until I feel a gentle stretch in my hamstrings and inner thighs. I hold this position for about 30 seconds.

shoulders

There are many effective ways to stretch the shoulders. I start by bringing one arm across my chest and using the other hand to gently pull it closer to my body, then switch sides.

An older man with gray beard wearing a dark green knit cap and gray athletic clothing, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed in an outdoor park.

Next, I extend both arms straight out, parallel to the floor, and make small circular motions. With my arms still parallel to the floor, I move them out to the sides and continue the small circles. I do this sequence for about one minute.

back

This is a good time to stretch your hamstrings. After that, move on to your core stretches as discussed earlier.

If you prefer, lie on your back with your knees bent. Gently pull one knee toward your chest while keeping the other foot planted and the opposite leg relaxed. Switch sides. Do each leg about 30 seconds.

abdominals

Before doing sit-ups, I spend a minute on torso twists and hamstring stretches. I’ll spend about 30 seconds on torso twists and about 30 seconds to a minute on hamstrings.

warm-ups

I start the exercise at a very easy pace and gradually build into the pace I want. For example, if I’m planning to jog, I’ll begin with a walk and ease into a jog. Some people prefer to warm up first and then stretch, which makes sense; it’s just not my routine. Whatever order you choose for warming up and stretching, the important thing is just doing it.

A man walking away on a dirt trail through a grassy area during daytime, wearing a dark T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, with a jacket draped over his shoulders, and the sky is mostly clear with some clouds.

Now that we’re good and loose, let's look at a few of the exercises I like to do. These are the ones I started with before I had any dumbbells, resistance bands, or a weighted vest.

Warming up and Stretching

WARMING UP AND STRETCHING

working out

LET'S get started!