It’s tempting to skip the warm-up and dive straight into your workout, but that’s how tight muscles and pulled hamstrings sneak up on you.
A few minutes of preworkout stretching loosens you up and lowers your risk of getting hurt before you even begin.
So we’ve lined up 10 easy stretches before a workout, working from head to toe to keep you loose and moving safely.
Neck Rotations
We’ll start gently up top, since the neck is where a lot of us carry tension without even noticing.
You’ll slowly turn your head side to side here, easing out all that built-up stiffness.
A soft start like this gives your body time to wake up before anything harder comes along.
How to perform:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width and shoulders relaxed down.
- Keep your chest open and your arms resting at your sides.
- Slowly turn your head to look over your right shoulder.
- Return through center, then turn to look over your left shoulder.
- Keep your shoulders still and down as you turn.
- Move at a slow, controlled pace with each rotation.
- Continue turning side to side for the full interval.
Neck Tilts
Your neck holds tension in more than one direction, so we’re not leaving it just yet.
Simply look down and then tip back to look up, reaching the front and back this time.
Take it slow, because rushing your neck is the quickest way to tweak it.
How to perform:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width and shoulders relaxed.
- Lower your chin slowly toward your chest to look down.
- Feel a gentle stretch along the back of your neck.
- Slowly lift your head and tilt it back to look up.
- Keep your shoulders down and your jaw relaxed throughout.
- Move smoothly between looking down and looking up.
- Continue tilting up and down for the full interval.
Ankle Rolls
When’s the last time you gave your ankles any love before a workout? Hardly ever, right?
Just roll each foot in slow circles, out and then in, to wake them up.
A little preworkout stretching down here keeps you steady once you really get going.
How to perform:
- Stand tall and shift your weight onto your left foot.
- Lift your right heel and balance on your right toes.
- Circle your right ankle outward in slow, full rotations.
- Reverse the direction and circle the same ankle inward.
- Keep your upper body tall and steady for balance.
- Switch sides, then repeat the circles with your left ankle.
- Continue rolling each ankle for the full interval.
Arm Circles
Now we head up to the arms with a move that feels amazing across tight shoulders.
You’ll swing both arms backward in big circles, opening up your chest and upper back.
If your shoulders tend to roll forward and feel stiff, these stretches before a workout are exactly what you need.
How to perform:
- Step your feet wide and take a slight bend in your knees.
- Reach both arms down by your sides to start.
- Sweep both arms up and backward in large circles.
- Reach your fingertips toward the ceiling and behind you.
- Keep the circles big and your movement controlled.
- After several rotations, reverse and circle both arms forward.
- Continue circling backward then forward for the full interval.
Standing Hip Circles
Your hips tend to get the stiffest of all, so they’re up next.
Start by circling them slowly all the way around, and feel it pull at your hamstrings and the front of your hips.
Keep the motion big and controlled, since that’s what gets the deepest stretch.
How to perform:
- Step your feet wide and place both hands on your hips.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout.
- Push your hips forward, then circle them around to one side.
- Send your hips back to feel a stretch through your hamstrings.
- Continue the circle to the front to open your hip flexors.
- Keep the motion slow and your core lightly engaged.
- Reverse and circle your hips in the opposite direction.
- Continue circling both ways for the full interval.
Knee Circles
Staying on those hips, lift each knee toward your chest and draw a big half circle out to the side.
These are easy stretches for beginners, so don’t stress if it feels a little new.
Wobbly on one leg? Totally normal, just keep a wall close by to hold onto.
How to perform:
- Stand tall with your feet roughly hip-width apart.
- Lift your right knee up toward your chest.
- Draw the knee out to the side in a big half circle.
- Lower your foot back down to the floor with control.
- Keep your chest lifted and core engaged for balance.
- Switch legs and repeat the half circle with your left knee.
- Continue alternating knees for the full interval.
Standing Side Lunge
Time to bring your legs into it with a wide, side-to-side stretch.
From there, you’ll take your feet out wide and shift your weight onto one leg at a time, really opening up your inner thighs.
Sink into each side slowly, though, because bouncing into this one won’t do you any favors.
How to perform:
- Step your feet out wide, wider than your shoulders.
- Bend your right knee and shift your weight to the right.
- Keep your left leg straight to stretch the inner thigh.
- Sink low and keep both feet flat on the floor.
- Push back to center, then shift your weight to the left.
- Hold a few seconds on each side as you switch.
- Continue shifting side to side for the full interval.
Squat to Forward Fold
Here’s a two-for-one I always love: you’ll drop into a deep squat to open your hips, then straighten your legs to stretch your hamstrings.
Flow nice and slow between the two and keep breathing, so each round feels better than the last.
How to perform:
- Step your feet wide and lower into a deep squat.
- Place your fingertips on the floor between your feet.
- Let your hips sink down to open through the hips.
- Straighten your legs and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Keep your hands low to stretch the backs of your legs.
- Bend your knees again and sink back into the squat.
- Continue moving between the squat and the fold.
- On your last rep, roll up slowly to standing.
Heel Kicks
You’re nearly done now, so we’ll pick up the pace and get your heart going.
Next, step side to side and kick your heel up behind you, swinging your arms to warm your shoulders and chest.
Keep it light and bouncy, and don’t worry about speed, just a steady rhythm.
How to perform:
- Stand tall and step out to your right side.
- Kick your left heel up behind you toward your bum.
- Swing your arms as you step to add upper-body movement.
- Step out to your left side and switch the kicking leg.
- Keep a light bounce and steady rhythm as you move.
- Warm up your shoulders and chest with each arm swing.
- Continue stepping side to side for the full interval.
Jump Rope
Last one, and you’ve earned it!
You’ll bounce through a jump rope without the rope, keeping those circles small and quick to get your blood flowing one final time.
Fold this whole sequence into your daily stretching routine and your body will move easier every single time.
How to perform:
- Stand tall with your feet close together.
- Keep your elbows in and your hands by your hips.
- Make small, tight circles with your hands as if turning a rope.
- Bounce lightly on the balls of your feet.
- Keep your jumps low, quick, and close to the floor.
- Stay light and keep a steady, even rhythm.
- Continue bouncing for the full interval.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
